Alternative Medicine

by lowri

Xover with Strange World. Army military Drs. Lynn Reece and Paul Turner are searching for Jacob Carter, but get blocked in every direction. However a shadow government agency has plans for Turner and Jacob unless SG1 can stop them.

Alternative Medicine

Disclaimer: The prologue is set just after Watergate in Stargate's fourth season. The rest of the story precludes Desperate Measures. This piece of fanfic is crossed with an obscure show called Strange World. You don't need to know the story to be able to follow the plot here. The only relevant piece of information is that the character in Strange World, Dr. Terrance Shepard, was played by Peter Wingfield. Dr. Shepard is not Tanith; their close resemblance is coincidental. As Strange World was never concluded, I have veered from the way the show abruptly ended into the Stargate universe.

Alternative Medicine

By Lori Wright

Prologue-Bethesda, MD

Adrian Conrad walked into the conference room, where ten men and women were waiting for him. After a condescending nod, he continued to the head of the table where Diana Mendez handed him a folder as he sat down. The others took their cue and also seated themselves. Diana, his personal assistant and lover remained standing, anxious to come to his aid in whatever capacity he required.

To his immediate right sat Dr. Terrance Shepard. While Shepard was a brilliant doctor, he was also completely amoral. He did not shy away from experiments that were unethical as long as they brought in results. Death was irrelevant to him except as a data point. This made him a handy tool for Adrian.

Two years ago, Adrian began showing symptoms of a disease that at first the doctors thought was AIDS. Subsequent tests proved the first diagnosis to be wrong, and the doctors now told him that he suffered from Burchheart's syndrome. Like AIDS, there was no cure, and a depressed immune system left him susceptible to a variety of illnesses.

Not one to give up, Adrian formed his own biotech company in Phoenix called Immunitech and began researching possible cures. Dr. Peter Stouffer, the principal investigator from Immunitech sat on Adrian's left, alongside several of the other scientists on the project. Drs. Stouffer and Shepard frequently worked together, and whenever Stouffer discovered anything interesting, it was brought to Bethesda for clinical trials, but not the kind usually funded by the government. No, his trials were done privately, without official sanction.

At the foot of the table, directly opposite of Adrian sat Colonel Frank Simmons, government representative and friend. Simmons not only worked for the NID at the Pentagon, he had his hands in more pies and kept Adrian apprised of any new developments that might aid his endeavors. Simmons knew about the immune disease and the importance of finding a cure.

He couldn't remember the names of the rest of the people. Their faces were familiar, and he could place their function in his organization, but he had little direct dealing with them. Diana was in charge of coordinating the day to day aspects. He held these monthly meetings for only one purpose-to see if they were closer to saving his life.

"Dr. Shepard," Adrian began, after glancing briefly at the notes. "Tell me about the serum. Is it ready for testing?"

Shepard smiled. "Yes, sir. We have also located an appropriate candidate. His name is Dr. Paul Turner."

Adrian let his own face break into what resembled a smile. "Tell me more."

"He is Army, recently back from the gulf where he encountered a chemical which has resulted in an incurable case of aplastic anemia. Dr. Turner is not expected to live and he has received a dishonorable discharge from the Army."

"Why dishonorable?" Adrian asked, thinking that this would make him more useful. The military were usually receptive to the disappearance of someone who had embarrassed them.

"He demanded full recompense for having been exposed to the chemical toxin in Iraq. He lobbied in front of a military tribunal and then took it all the way to the Senate." Shepard chucked, "They were not amused. With no family and few friends, Turner will make an excellent guinea pig."

"Who's his contact?"

"Dr. Shira Hosokawa. She's on stand-by for my call. Her orders are to administer some of the serum into Dr. Turner's IV and let him recover." Shepard shuffled his papers and made a production of straightening them. "Then of course we'll change the components and observe his body's response."

Adrian let the implication fill the empty space in his soul. The thought of death terrified him. There was so much more he needed to do. But, this was hope. If this new drug worked with the subject, and cured his aplastic anemia, possibly it would cure his own disease. "Proceed immediately," he commanded.

Two months later

Potomic, MD

"Come on in Frank," Diana invited, then shut the door. "Adrian is waiting for you in the den."

Frank Simmons shed his coat and handed it to the maid who was hovering at his side. Although Frank had been to their house several times, and knew the way to the den, Diana liked to make a production of escorting him there. "Has the serum worked?"

Her eyes looked sad. "Not as well as we had hoped. The effects are real, but are temporary."

Frank wasn't a doctor, and he really didn't care about the technical aspects of what Immunitech did, all he cared about was the money the Pentagon put into the company and the results that came out of it. If Adrian died, the company would probably go belly-up. It truly had only one function.

There was a fire crackling and the room exuded a warm contentment, that Frank rarely experienced. Diana gave him a soft smile as she poured brandy into two snifters.

"Sit down, Frank," Adrian entreated.

Frank looked at his friend who was reclining in a Lazy-Boy, an afghan spread across his legs and a newspaper folded open on his lap. A wheel chair was parked to one side, handy for when he needed to move to another room. Frank took a seat on another of the comfortable chairs, and accepted the brandy as Diana handed it to him.

"I'll leave you boys alone." She gave Adrian a last lingering look, filled with concern.

Adrian didn't look well. The disease was catching up to him. "I have a proposition for you," Frank began.

"Does it have something to do with a cure?"

"Possibly, not sure." Frank allowed a secretive smile to cross his face, knowing that Adrian would pick up on it right away.

"Tell me," he commanded.

"It's going to cost a lot of money, but I think it may be worth it."

Conrad still looked interested.

"A certain report has crossed my desk of an alien species that when it invades a human body, it can cure diseases."

The newspaper slid to the floor. "Alien?"

"There is a project the NID is trying to get their hands on, but so far the Air Force has complete control and so far is answerable only to the president."

"That must piss you off," Adrian commented with a smirk.

"It does. The report I read talked of a General who was dying of lymphoma and who was cured by taking one of these parasites into his own body. Unfortunately that particular alien was considered an ally--"

"Why unfortunately?" Adrian asked, his eyes showing more life than his body reflected.

"Because there aren't very many out there who consider humans as friends. Most want to enslave us and be worshipped as gods."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No, I am very serious. These aliens are extremely powerful and truly believe they are gods." Frank had to make Adrian understand how dangerous they were.

"Go, on." Adrian urged.

"I read an earlier report where another member of this project also had one of these beasts inside her and it died, leaving her alive and whole. As an interesting aside, the man and woman are father and daughter."

"Where do you get these aliens?"

"This group has been very careful not to let these aliens land on earth because they would try to take it--us--over, however, I happen to know of one in Russia, captured and held prisoner, but with enough money we might be able to 'obtain' it."

Adrian smiled. "I want it!"

"Thought you might. I have here the name of a man who's had direct contact with the Russians and the parasite." Frank handed Adrian the paper. "Charge him with the task of delivering the alien to you."

"Colonel Maybourne? Is he NID?"

"He's a lot of things." Frank straightened in his seat. "Adrian, you must be careful with it. You can't take the chance of it possessing you. Use the thing, do your medical experiments and find out what it is that cures diseases. Don't take unnecessary chances. You're too valuable to allow these Goa'uld aliens to take you over and use you to dominate Earth. We must fight to prevent this from ever happening."

"Any my experiments will help you how?"

"I have to tell you that I think war with them is inevitable. If while you're experimenting on the parasite, you can find a way to kill it inside a human host, it would be invaluable to the government."

Adrian stared at him. "You say it's in Russia right now?"

"Last I knew it was. Maybourne will know more. I can promise government money to help defray costs of the experiments. We should work together for the common good of all mankind." Frank thought that sounded good, but he also knew Adrian was only concerned with was saving his own life.

Zeditron Industries-corporate headquarters

Two weeks later

Terrance Shepard knocked on Conrad's door and waited for Diana to open it. No one was allowed within the inner sanctum without her approval. She gave him a nod and wordlessly led him into the exquisitely decorated office. She closed the door and Terrance continued to walk to the desk. Conrad was seated, perusing a file. Terrance recognized it as one of his reports.

"Have a seat Dr. Shepard. I'm just going over the data for the last set of Turner's injections. They do not look promising."

Terrance expected Conrad to yell, complain, place the blame on everyone involved, yet the CEO did none of these things. "I agree. It's taking an increasing amount of serum to counteract the anemia. We have concentrated several of the key components without observing a direct benefit."

"Obviously, we need to go in another direction."

Conrad stared at him as if Terrance was able to magically come up with an innovative idea. He was fresh out. Then Conrad smiled. Not an evil smile, but one of glee. Terrance fidgeted in his seat. "You have an idea?" Terrance finally asked.

"I do. Colonel Maybourne is on his way from the airport carrying an aquatic eel of some kind that produces a chemical or substance that has been proven to cure lymphoma. However, in the past, the eel had to be placed within the body to achieve this aim. I want you to direct the research and discover what this elusive chemical or antibody or whatever it is, that cured the lymphoma."

Terrance felt excitement tingle within his body. Finally, a challenge worthy of his time and expertise. "Where did this fish come from?"

"Russia. I don't know any more about it than you. The biggest problem is that it is very dangerous. You must not let it loose or touch it without proper protection. It will enter your body at the slightest chance. Then I will have to kill you for stealing my cure."

Terrance swallowed thickly. "It's sentient?"

"That I don't know. It may be only an instinct that makes it dive into your neck and burrow into your brainstem. Don't take any chances. Colonel Maybourne will go over containment issues when he gets here."

"What happens if it dies?'

"It's priceless. If it dies, so will you," Conrad threatened. "If you find my cure, I will give you Immunitech. That will be your reward."

Terrance's eyes lit with greed. It wasn't the money, although he had nothing against being rich. But the power to control his own experiments without having to answer to Conrad and his unique interests, was his real inducement. Tangents were frowned on, yet they usually produced the most interesting data. "Understood. I'll be down in the lab, setting up an aquarium. Does this eel breath oxygen or something else?"

"I don't know. Since it's natural habitat is within a human body, it may breath carbon dioxide for all I know."

Terrance left Conrad's office with much to plan. His fingers itched to tackle this new problem. He had been so sure that he was going to be reamed for not producing the needed results that this reprieve was like a sign from God. He would succeed.

I

(6 months later)

Samantha Carter pressed delete on her voice mail with a sigh. This was the forth message she had received from a friend of her father's. She vaguely remembered meeting the woman in Washington, back before her father had blended with Selmak, but she hadn't realized how close the two were.

What was she supposed to do? Her father was currently on a mission with two other Tok'ra and there was no way to contact them. Selmak was supposed to report to them within three days, Sam was promised and they'd relay her message then. Meanwhile, Major Reese was becoming insistent that something was very wrong. Sam would have to throw a bone out and hope it gave her enough time to talk to her dad.

II

USAMRIID-Ft Detrick, MD

Dr. Paul Turner was finishing up an experiment when his superior, Major Lynne Reese stepped into the room. He pipetted the isopropanol into the Corex tube, secured the top, then turned his attention to his supervisor as he inverted the tube, mixing the contents. Even though he had officially left the Army, his past superior had hired him to work as a civilian researcher. In addition to bench work, he also investigated criminal abuses of science. His prime motive in accepting this job, other than the desire to eat and have a roof over his head, was the overwhelming need to discover the identity of the Japanese woman, who she worked for, and why they had singled him out for "treatment." His irregular doses kept him a slave to their whims and he hated being their puppet.

The sound of the door closing brought him out of his musings. He looked up at his boss and friend. "Good morning, Lynne." Paul noticed dark rings under her eyes. "You look worried, is everything okay?"

"We need to talk. You have a minute?" she asked in a brusque tone.

"Just let me get this into the centrifuge."

The major nodded, then sat down on one of the stools while Paul walked over to the big machine and placed his two samples inside. After setting the timer for sixty minutes, he pushed the start button.

"What's going on?" he asked, returning to where she sat. Her whole body reflected fatigue. When had been the last time he had seen her? Or rather really noticed what she was feeling. "You want to get some coffee?" he asked, feeling guilty for not being there for her and ready to do so now.

"Yes, Paul. That would be nice."

They made an odd pair, walking down the halls, past the numerous labs and the biosafety-three containment facility. He wore faded blue jeans and a flannel shirt, with the sleeves rolled up. She was dressed in a pristine Army uniform, complete with the oak leaves denoting her as a major. The click of her heels echoed as they headed to one of the break rooms.

A pot of coffee was simmering. Paul pulled two mugs from the cabinet and poured each of them a cup. Lynne had taken a seat. There were four tables in the room, all unoccupied. Not many worked on Sunday, especially early in the morning. With his girlfriend, Sydney, working at the VA hospital, Paul didn't feel like spending the time alone in the apartment when there were experiments he could finish.

He handed Lynne a mug and took the seat across from her. "Tell me about it," he entreated.

"This is kind of a long story, but I'll try and be brief."

"I've got time," he reassured her.

"When I was serving in the Gulf, I met this man, Jacob Carter. He's an Air Force General, now. We've worked together on and off since then."

"I don't remember him," Paul remarked, trying to think back to those horror-filled days.

"You wouldn't have. It was only at meetings with other high ranking offers that we came in contact."

"I understand. Go on."

"After the war, Jake and I continued working together, giving testimony in front of Congress and writing reports and recommendations for the Pentagon. Some of it concerned you, and it was his suggestion to use section 44 of the USAMRIID charter to create the job you have here with us now. He even lobbied with me, and I think his support helped sway the vote to your favor."

"It seems I owe this man a debt of gratitude."

"He was very upset by what happened to you and believed you still had a lot to offer. Anyway, we became friends. We would meet up after work to talk and have a few drinks."

"You were dating him?"

"Oh, no. Just friends. I think he needed someone to talk to. He was pretty much estranged from his family. There was no one he was close to in Washington. His son wanted nothing to do with him, and he was always arguing with his daughter, Samantha. She's also in the Air Force, but works as an astrophysicist. She never seemed to realize that he had her best interests at heart. I think she thought he was trying to control her. Anyway, Jake and I got to be pretty close."

Paul smiled. Lynne had never been married; the Army was her life. It was nice that she had a gentleman friend, even though they weren't officially dating. Paul wondered if this Jake agreed that their relationship was only platonic. "Has something happened to General Carter?"

"Let me continue. You're jumping ahead. About a month ago, he told me that Samantha, his daughter, was coming to Washington to accept a medal. He's not the kind of man to show much emotion; kind of keeps it all locked up inside. But he was so excited, Paul. You should have heard him, he was so proud of her. It turns out he went behind her back and found a position at NASA for her, which he assured me was her dream. He planned on telling her and in her gratitude all the hard feelings, and bitterness would just disappear. Well, it didn't happen that way. She turned it down flat, without explanations, without anything. He was so disappointed. Samantha ended up leaving Washington unexpectedly, and he came over my house practically in tears. It just broke my heart to see him that crushed. That was when Jake told me that he had been diagnosed with cancer, a lymphoma. The NASA job was to be a going away present and she threw it back in his face."

Paul groaned in sympathy. He could imagine the man's feelings. "Have you met the daughter?"

"Once, at the reception, before he told me that he was sick. She was very nice, and treated me with courtesy due my rank. I don't remember much more." Lynne took a sip of her coffee. "He called me two weeks ago and said that his cancer had spread to his liver and he didn't have much longer to live. So he was moving to Colorado Springs to spend his last days with her. She works at the base in Cheyenne Mountain."

"Isn't that where NORAD is located?"

"Yep," Lynne affirmed.

"So, she works as an astrophysicist at NORAD and he moved to Colorado to be near her," Paul reiterated.

"Right. I called Jake two nights ago to see how he was doing and found out that the phone to his apartment has been disconnected. The next day I called around to the area hospitals, in case he had been admitted, and discovered that he had been admitted to the Air Force Academy hospital, but his daughter had discharged him. Then yesterday, after going through a bunch of red tape, I found Samantha's phone number. I called her place and left several messages."

"Did she return your call?"

"Just now."

"Did she remember you?"

"It took her awhile, but she finally remembered meeting me in Washington. At first she gave me the runaround, but I finally convinced her that I really needed to talk to Jake myself, and convinced her that I wasn't going to give up. I told her that I knew how sick he is and how worried I am about him."

"What did she say?"

"She told me he was fine but he just couldn't talk to me right now."

"Maybe he's in a private clinic," Paul suggested, "and is too weak to receive visitors."

"Then why did she tell me he was fine? I questioned her some more and she told me that Jake was in remission. My jaw dropped to the floor. He was dying. I read his charts and saw him. There was no way his body could recover."

Paul considered what Lynne had told her. Things didn't add up. "How did you leave things?"

"I'm flying to Colorado tomorrow morning." Lynne rubbed her eyes. She looked so tired.

"Does Samantha Carter know you're coming?"

"Yes, she said she'd meet me at the airport and then take me to a hotel. She wasn't promising anything, but she said she'd try and get a hold of him."

Paul's interest was piqued that a man who had an incurable disease had just been miraculously cured. For some reason he didn't doubt the daughter's story, but how it had been accomplished? Was it possible that the method was similar to what had happened to him?

Paul thought back to his own experience. During an Iraqi raid, he had been exposed to a chemical agent that had resulted in his acquiring aplastic anemia. After spending years battling the Army to accept the responsibility for his condition, he found himself close to death in the VA hospital. Fully resigned to the fact that he was going to die, he didn't pay much attention when a stranger entered his room periodically and injected something into his IV. It wasn't until he began to feel better and his lab tests showed that his marrow was working again, that he realized that the stranger had cured him. At least temporarily. If he didn't receive the additional doses of the serum, the disease returned. This meant he was always at the mercy of the stranger, the Japanese woman, who seemed to keep constant tabs on his work and personal life.

Could the agency the Japanese woman worked for, be the same or affiliated with what was going on in Colorado? Was General Carter also receiving a serum? "Lynne, I'd like to come with you. I don't think you should go alone. You don't know what you're gonna find."

Lynne glanced up for her mug. "I hate to put you to so much trouble. This whole thing is probably all my imagination. It's just that my instincts are screaming that medically this can't be true. He told me about his cancer, he read some of the reports to me. There is no way it could have gone into remission."

"Kind of reminds you of my case, doesn't it?" Paul asked, the coincidence had to be more than chance.

Lynne frowned. "You're right. Maybe miracles can happen."

Paul highly doubted the miracle point. However, what scared him more was the fact that this secret organization could have an Air Force General in their pocket. Could a daughter betray her father in that way? Was it possible that the daughter knew nothing about how her father was cured? The more Paul thought about the ramifications, the more he needed to go and talk to Carter himself. Maybe if Paul revealed his own situation, Carter would confess his, and together they could expose the shadow organization who had exploited their condition.

Paul hated his dependence on this woman. She never showed up at regular intervals, but always handed him a "package". It contained a small vial with a different amount of serum each time. His bone marrow, while under the influence of the medicine, was able to manufacture blood cells. However, if the drug arrived late, his marrow would quit and slowly the disease would return. He was warned never to analyze the drug, for it would break down and there wouldn't be any to replace it, guaranteeing his death. So far, he had done everything the woman had asked of him--and he was still alive.

"I would really feel better if I accompanied you."

"Thank you, Paul. I think I can really use your dispassionate opinion. Mine is all clouded. I'm liable to see conspiracy when it's only the Air Force wanting to take care of its own."

"No problem." Although, dispassionate was not a term Paul would have used himself. He was very interested in what they'd find.

III

X'ellin (P3X249)

V'tel, Selca, and Jacob each studied a different wall in the ruins. V'tel knew the answer was written in plain sight, but recognizing it was another matter. Jacob's addition to their venture was an added bonus. Garshaw had agreed to let Jacob accompany them because she understood the importance of the mission, even if she didn't believe they would succeed. Somewhere in this dilapidated structure was a clue to the location of two stasis jars containing live Tok'ra symbiotes. Egeria had hid them while in hiding from Ra's forces. V'tel's research told him they were on this planet, but where?

"V'tel, I think I have found something!" Selca proclaimed with excitement.

Selca's symbiote Kutunin, and the symbiote inside V'tel had first become mates over three hundred years ago. Simek and Kutinin had met during a mission, each a member of a different cell. Kutunin's host fell madly in love with Cal'b, Simek's host at that time and two became inseparable. Simek and Kutunin drawn in by their host's extreme feelings began to mirror their hosts' until the four were truly two. When Cal'b became too old to live much longer, Kutunin and her host began a search for a pair of human lovers who would be willing to blend with them and become Tok'ra. In a ritual as old as any could remember, the dying hosts gave their blessing on the two new hosts, V'tel and Selca as they as they became caretakers to the other half of themselves. Now V'tel began to feel everyone of his one hundred and sixty years and knew that he too would have to begin searching for a pair of lovers in order for Simek and Kutunin to continue their lives. Neither wished to be without the other. Hosts were difficult to find, and finding two at the same time and have them love one another was doubly difficult.

"V'tel, you are not paying attention. I think I have found something," she chided.

V'tel smiled at his partner and went over to look at what she had found.

Hidden within a cartouche was a secret symbol for Tok'ra. The resistance had used it frequently in earlier days while they were still subject to Ra's rule to leave messages for different factions. They did not believe in long range communication devices; they were seldom secure.

Satisfaction curled in his heart. "It confirms our belief," V'tel acknowledged. "But I cannot decipher anything else."

Suddenly Jacob stiffened and went to the entrance. "I hear something," he told them, worry etched into his voice. "I'm gonna go take a look." His head bowed and Selmak added, "Wait here."

Simek stared at the engravings and translated a few of them silently for V'tel. The writings told of a battle between the planet's inhabitants and a Goa'uld, although Ra was not named. They fought without will, because the force was so strong against them. Several leaders committed suicide and buried themselves on the far side of the chaappa'ai. This way their souls could escape the contamination when the enemy left. Buried within the story was the secret symbol.

Jacob burst into the ruins. "We've got a troop of Jaffa, marching in our direction. I don't think they're searching for us, but we should get out of here."

Kutunin gave the wall one last look, filled with longing. "We are so close."

Simek responded, "They have been safe, they will continue to be so as long as we do not call attention to this place." V'tel took over, for Simek rarely liked to command the body. "Come, let us leave," V'tel urged.

The three Tok'ra crept out of the ruins and ran in the opposite direction of the chaappa'ai. They would circle around after dark, when hopefully the Jaffa had left only minimal guards watching the gate.

SGC

"So, you see sir, Major Reese is very insistent that she talk to my father. She's a medical doctor at USAMRIID, who knows that he was dying of cancer."

"We can't give her those answers, Major," General Hammond reminded her.

"I know that, sir, but if she was able to see Dad, she'd have to believe he was fine."

Hammond laughed harshly. "And believe that he's been cured by some alternative medicine?"

"I don't know. I agreed to meet her at the airport tomorrow."

"Major Carter, I cannot--"

"Incoming Traveler," accompanied the claxon echoing over the loud speakers.

SGC security rushed into the gate room, with weapons loaded and ready to fire.

Hammond and Carter walked over to the window, awaiting the signal to verify if it was friend or enemy coming through.

"We'll talk about this later, Major," Hammond commanded.

She nodded although her eyes were focused on the gate.

"It's the Tok'ra, sir."

"Open the iris!"

Two men and one woman flew down the ramp. Staff fire followed them, and all three looked to be injured.

"Close the iris!" Hammond bellowed, rushing down to the gate room to find out what the hell had happened. From his vantage point he could tell that Jacob Carter was included in the trio.

"Sorry, George," Jacob apologized as they came even, "didn't want to give away Risa, the Tok'ra base we were supposed to go to. Wasn't sure if we could send the GDO code to you on time." Jacob gave a wry smile, then slumped to the floor.

"Dad!" Major Carter rushed up to ease her father's fall, followed closely by the medial team.

Hammond backed up a few steps, letting Dr. Fraiser reach Jacob's side. "He's lost a lot of blood," she told them, elbowing Major Carter to the side. "Give me room to work, Sam" she urged.

Technicians placed Jacob and the other two Tok'ra aboard a gurney and took them to the infirmary. The general knew he wouldn't be able to help, so he let his people have the space they needed. Dr. Fraiser would report to him as soon as they were all stable.

IV

Dr. Turner's apartment

Paul Turner had a sleepless night. His dreams were haunted by the specter of the mysterious Japanese woman and a faceless Air Force general. Part of him hoped that General Carter's situation was the same, because then he'd have an ally--someone who understood what he was going through--someone who might be able to help him bring the operation down. Then there was fear that the organization could reach that high. It was one thing to have a lowly, Army ex-captain, now civilian researcher, in their back pocket--it was another to have an Air Force general to order around.

"Are you okay?" Sydney asked, as he closed the suitcase. "You look tired."

"I didn't sleep well."

She came over to him, caressing his face with the palm of her hand. "You sure you have to go?"

"I need to know Sydney."

"What if you get sick and she can't find you?"

"I've been away from Ft. Detrick before and I've always received the medicine when I needed it. I have to trust that the same thing will happen again."

She draped her arms around him. "I just worry. That's what girlfriends do."

Paul smiled affectionately. "I know," he answered, kissing her on the nose then rested his forehead against hers. "You've got the name of the hotel where we'll be staying?"

"Yes, Paul." She gently straightened his shirt and smoothed his hair. "You'll be careful?"

"We're only going to look up an old friend, not investigate a crime," he tried to reassure her. "You'll be busy at the hospital with all the emergency patients. I think some invent emergencies so they can get you as their doctor. Must be your bed-side manner," he teased. Although there was a part of him that believed it. Sydney had been his doctor when he was first in the hospital dying of aplastic anemia. She had never given up on him; it was one of the things he loved the most about her. Her support gave him the will to live.

There was a honking outside the window of their apartment. Sydney separated herself from his arms and walked over to the window. "Major Reese is here."

Paul bent over and picked up his case. "And I'm ready."

They walked to the door. Paul opened it and turned to Sydney. "I'll be back before you know it," he told her, then pulled her head to him and kissed her deeply.

The taxi honked again.

"Your boss is getting impatient."

Paul gave her a last look, then closed the door behind him. It was so difficult saying goodbye. He hurried down the steps, knowing how nervous Lynne must be. The taxi driver jumped out and threw open the truck just as he got there. Paul opened the back passenger door and cast another quick look up at their window. She was there. He could see the sun reflecting off her platinum hair and her luminous blue eyes. She waved. He smiled and got into the car.

"Good morning, Paul. Tough saying goodbye?" she asked, unknowingly echoing his earlier sentiment.

"Each time it's like I may never see her again."

"You're in remission. Granted it was a miracle and no one can explain how it happened, but you're alive and doing important work."

"I know that. I'm just grateful for every second Sydney and I can spend together."

SGC Infirmary

Samantha Carter followed the medical team at a discreet distance. Her father had been wounded; a large staff blast to his side. Could Selmak cure it? The other Tok'ra were also injured, but she hadn't taken the time to find out who they were. She spared them each a glance, but her main focus was on the techs surrounding her father's bed. They hooked up monitors and bandaged the wound. One was trying to sew the gaping hole.

"Sam, go!" Dr. Fraiser told her. "You're in our way."

Sam backed up reluctantly. When Janet sent another glare her way, Sam quit the room entirely. Standing in the hall, she looked absently each way.

"Going my way, Carter?"

Sam looked at the colonel with blank eyes.

"Come on, we can grab a bite to eat or work out."

"No, thank you. I think I'll head to the lab and wait for Janet to call and let me know how Dad is doing."

"Ya think working with high-tech alien gadgetry is the best idea when your mind isn't on what you're doing? I'd hate to think of you blowing up the lab, injuring yourself just as Selmak fixes your father and we have to explain why you're not there with candy and flowers. No way. You'd be better off pumping some iron or eating a chocolate brownie."

Sam chuckled. It was the best she could do. "Given those choices, maybe a workout at the gym would be the best place."

"Yes!" Colonel O'Neill sounded pleased with himself. "Let's go."

Sam didn't want to do anything that would make her hot and sweaty, so she lifted some weights, half-heartedly, then went over to the treadmill and walked. And walked. And walked. The colonel gave her a few sympathetic looks, but didn't disturb her rhythm. She let her mind wander. Selmak wouldn't let her father die. She had to hang on that hope. He didn't let them down on Neatu and this injury didn't look as bad.

"…Carter?! Earth to Carter!"

Sam jerked as she realized that the colonel was poking her on the shoulder. "What?" she asked irritably.

"Dr. Fraiser just paged you to the infirmary."

"Oh!" She turned off the treadmill and hurried out of the gym. As she rounded the corner, she noticed that he was right behind her. "What?"

"Can't I be interested in Jacob's condition?"

"I'm sorry. It's just--"

"No need to explain."

She gave him a slight smile and hurried down the hall.

The infirmary was still bustling with activity. Janet met them as they entered. "Jacob's going to be fine. Selmak is doing most of the internal healing and we've stitched up the outside."

"Why do I hear a but?" Colonel O'Neill asked.

"The other two aren't doing as well. V'tel, the male, has a gash on his leg down to the bone. I've stitched it up and he says he'll be fine. On the other hand, Kutunin, or Selca, I don't which is the host and which is the symbiote, isn't doing so well. Just as she went through the gate a knife was embedded into her back and I think there was poison on the blade. The symbiote so far can't seem to isolate and destroy the foreign chemical. She was briefly conscious, and told me about the poison. We've got our best scientists working on isolating and identifying the chemical. I've had to keep V'tel under sedation because he keeps reopening his wounds in his attempts to be with her."

Sam glanced in the direction of her father's friends, but her dad was her main concern. "Can I talk to Dad? Is he conscious?"

"Go ahead, Sam. He's a little groggy, but he'll know it's you."

Sam headed directly to her father's bed. He had his eyes closed, but they popped open as she touched his arm.

"Sam?" has asked with a scratchy throat.

"Yes, it's me. Can you tell me what happened? Who attacked you?"

His eyes closed. Guess he didn't want to talk about it. Sam pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed. A nurse came over and checked the machines then wrote a few things down. It took another thirty minutes before he opened his eyes again.

"The Tok'ra? Have they been told about what happened?"

"Dad, we don't know what happened."

"So they don't know?"

"No. General Hammond hasn't--"

"Are V'tel and Selca still alive?"

"Yes," Sam tried to reassure him.

Her father let out a breath. "It's my fault. I should have protected them better. I should've made them go through the gate first, instead of worrying about the GDO signal." His eyes looked defeated.

"Dad, you're here and alive. I have complete confidence in Selmak and the other two symbiotes. You're not going to die," her voice cracked on the last word.

His arm lifted and patted her hand. "Thanks Sam for the pep talk." Then he closed his eyes. Sam felt dismissed.

As she entered her lab, she remembered Major Reese who was flying in to see her father tomorrow, or was it today? When she went back to the infirmary she'd have to remember to tell him about his visitor.

Airport-Washington DC

Shira took a sip of her wine as she watched Dr. Turner and Major Reese check their baggage. Her sources had informed her of their trip to Colorado Springs, but not the reason for it. Inside her pocket was a vial of the new serum. Dr. Shepard believed he had isolated the factor that would enable Turner's bone marrow to permanently manufacture the needed blood cells. What made this one was so different, Shira didn't know. She wasn't part of the research and development department. What was evident was the excitement around this formulation.

As her subject walked to the security checkpoint heading to the gates, Shira left the airport bar and walked briskly in their direction. She put her hand in the pocket of her coat, grasping the vial. Suddenly Dr. Turner glanced her way. He stiffened, but kept walking. Shira caught up to him and purposely bumped into his side, passing the new vial into his hand. "Take it before you leave," she whispered, then pivoted and walked in the other direction before he could question her.

She left the airport and pulled out her cell phone to call Dr. Shepard. "He has the serum and I told him to take it immediately."

"Excellent. We need to monitor him closely. In twenty-four hours I would like a blood sample if possible," he remarked absently as if talking to himself.

"I connected with Dr. Turner at the airport. He is in the process of flying to Colorado Springs with Major Reese."

"Leaving the area? Why was I not told of this departure? Do you know why he's leaving or what he's investigating now?"

"Unknown. I think it's personal on the Major's part. Her reservation was made several hours before Dr. Turner's."

Shepard took a deep breath. "Collect another sample of the new serum and give it to the girlfriend with instructions to get it to turner no later than tomorrow night. I will fly to Colorado on the company jet and follow Turner. If I happen to lose him, I can fall back on her presence as a way of locating him."

Shira disconnected and left immediately for the lab, her instructions clear.

Infirmary-SGC

Jacob regained consciousness slowly. First he was aware of the background noise of the monitors beeping rhythmically. Doctors and nurses talked in hushed tones, going about their business of healing. Then he felt a slight pressure on his arm.

"Samantha is waiting," Selmak told him silently.

"Have I been sleeping long?"

"We are healing. Sleep helps conserve our resources."

Jacob opened his eyes.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, Sam. I'm still here."

"We contacted the Tok'ra and told them about you and the other two."

"I bet George is anxious to talk to me."

"Yes, he is. But first I have to tell you something."

Jacob felt his heart sink. He hoped she wasn't going to say his fellow Tok'ra weren't going to make it. "What is it?"

"For the past month a woman by the name of Major Reese has been pestering me to see you."

Jacob smiled. A warm feeling replaced the cold dread.

"Is this woman special to you?" Selmak asked, curious at his reaction.

"Yes, she's one of my best friends. Someone I regret leaving behind," Jacob answered.

"Dad?" Sam interrupted his internal dialogue.

"Sorry, Selmak was asking about Lynne. I'd really like to see her."

"You think that's wise? She thinks you're dying of cancer. How are you going to explain your miracle recovery?"

"I'll think of something," he replied, dismissing the problem.

"She's on a plane right now, heading for Colorado Springs. I told her I'd pick her up at the airport."

"Maybe I can get Doctor Fraiser to let me recuperate at your place."

"Somehow I can't see you being ready to leave for a couple of days."

"Selmak," Jacob asked his symbiote. "Will I be strong enough tomorrow?"

"Yes. We will be much better by then."

"No problem. We'll be ready." Jacob informed his daughter.

Sam frowned, but didn't contradict him. "I have to leave shortly. They have a reservation at the Radisson, downtown."

"Great. Take them to the hotel today, and tomorrow morning we'll go visit them."

Sam shook her head. "Don't get your hopes up, Dad."

Jacob humored her, just as she was humoring him. He was determined to see Lynne. Even if he couldn't tell her about Selmak, he could still tell her how he and Sam had developed a real relationship. As for the cancer, he'll say it was a miracle. After all didn't her friend Paul Turner's cancer go into a remission?

"I look forward to meeting your friend," Selmak told him. "You obviously care a great deal for her."

Jacob watched his daughter leave after a quick word with the doctor who flashed him a penetrating look.

Colorado Springs airport

Paul followed behind Lynne as they disembarked from the plane. Although she looked outwardly calm, Paul could discern by the fluttering of her hands and the way her eyes darted from place to place that she was in fact nervous.

"She'll be here," Paul reassured her.

"Yeah, but will she allow me to see Jake?"

"Do you really believe she's doing something to prevent you from seeing him?"

Lynne paused mid-step, then stiffened. "There she is."

As they left the gate area, Paul saw a woman leaning against the wall. She was wearing jeans and an Air Force Academy T-shirt. Her hair was blond, but more gold, unlike the silver-white of Sydney's hair. The woman looked at them and a smile of recognition spread across her face. So, that was Samantha Carter, he thought, appraising her as she walked toward them.

"Major Reese? Lynne Reese?" she asked, as they came close.

"Yes."

"I'm Samantha Carter. Dad's told me a lot about you. I'm glad we get to finally meet." She paused, looking uncomfortable. "I mean meet again. I don't remember much about the reception," she seemed apologetic.

"That's okay. I'm sure you met a lot of new people."

"It was also when Dad told me about the cancer. I'm afraid everything else kind of slipped my mind."

Paul could hear the remorse in her voice--genuine feelings. Samantha Carter was not the hard woman Lynne had described to him.

"Is Jake here?" Lynne asked, looking around.

"Sort of," Samantha looked apologetic. "He's in Colorado Springs, but he can't come see you, yet."

"What do you mean?" Lynne asked sharply.

Paul winced. Samantha didn't look offended.

"He's with his doctor on base and I can't let you in. But he knows you're here and tells me he'll make the doctor release him so he can visit you tomorrow." Samantha looked curiously at Paul.

"I'm sorry," Lynne remembered her manners. "This is my associate. Doctor Paul Turner. He also served in the Gulf with your father and I."

Paul stepped forward to shake her hand.

"Dad knows you?" she asked with a smile on her face.

Paul answered. "I believe he knows of me," he answered, releasing her hand and stepping back. Up close he could see dark circles under her eyes. Was she worried about something, or just not getting enough sleep?

"We'll get your baggage and then I'll take you to the hotel."

An inconspicuous man leaned against the pillar, with a newspaper in his hand, watching Dr. Paul Turner leave the airport with two women, one was Turner's boss, but the other was an unknown. Judging from her shirt, she was Air Force, which was an oddity in and of itself. The Army rarely had dealings with the Air Force. Each branch had their own experts for any given problem. So, what brought the USAMRIID doctors to Colorado Springs?

The blond woman led her guests out of the airport toward the short-term parking lot. Shepard folded his paper and followed them at a distance. As he watched them get into a car, he took out his phone and pressed one on his speed-dial.

"Maxwell. Turner is being driven by a blond woman in an cream LTD with an Air Force insignia on the driver-side door. Follow them. When they reach their destination call me."

Dr. Terrance Shepard walked to his own rented car located down the row from where the official vehicle had been parked. He sat in the driver's seat for a minute then punched in Conrad's number. His intuition was telling him that something was going on, but couldn't put his finger on the problem.

"Mr. Conrad. This is Dr. Shepard."

"Have you called to tell me the new serum is working?"

"It is too soon to tell. The subject has left Maryland and is presently in Colorado Springs, accompanying Major Reese. I was able to catch a flight, which placed me at the airport and I have the man in my sight. I have, however, detected a possible problem. They seem to be associating with someone from the Air Force."

"Find out who they are. Under no circumstances--wait. Determine if they are meeting with General Jacob Carter or Major Samantha Carter. If they are, call me back immediately. This may work to our benefit."

Terrance absently put his phone away while contemplating his next move.

V

SGC-Infirmary

Jacob finished dressing and waited impatiently on the bed; his breakfast tray sat empty on the table. Sam was supposed to come by and take him to her house, where he would be able to meet with Lynne and Paul Turner. Jacob was curious about the young man. So much tangled history, with his losing his commission, yet retaining a job with the Army investigating the misuses of science. Someone had pulled more strings than even Jacob knew about to get Turner such a lucrative position.

"Did you not say he had a cancer that was considered incurable?" Selmak broke into his thoughts.

"His body was no longer able to produce blood cells."

"That is something a symbiote can easily fix, so how did he become well? Do you think he might be Goa'uld?"

Jacob felt a tightening in his chest. "God, I hope not." Then common sense came to his rescue. "If Dr. Turner had been taken by a Goa'uld, I would imagine Lynne would have noticed he was acting different."

"Goa'uld are just as able to pretend as humans or Tok'ra. What if Turner senses the gate here and is using your friend's curiosity about you to get him here?"

"Let's not borrow trouble, huh Selmak. The chances are miniscule that Turner is anything other than what he claims."

"Someone very lucky to have his incurable disease cured," Selmak countered.

Jacob was saved from coming up with an adequate reply by Sam's arrival. "Are we going to pick them up at the hotel, now?" Jacob asked as he got gingerly to his feet wincing slightly.

Sam smiled. "No. I thought I'd get you comfortable on the couch at home, then drive to hotel and pick them up. You may find you need to rest a bit before they come over. I thought maybe lunch would be a good idea."

"I just finished breakfast and you want me to wait all the way to lunch. Are you crazy?"

Selmak added silently, "It would be best if we were not tired when they arrived. Are we not trying to show them that your body is healthy, not injured due to a fight with Jaffa?"

"Okay, you win, Sam," Jacob responded, ambling slowly after her. It would be a long walk from the infirmary to the elevators and then to her car. He could almost hear Selmak's grunt of approval.

Radisson Hotel Lobby

Terrance Shepard sat in the comfortable chair reading a newspaper. Turner and Reese were still upstairs in their room. Maxwell had followed the young blond woman after she had dropped off these two, all the way to Cheyenne Mountain and NORAD. Very curious. He had yet to call Conrad, wanting to find out what they were up to. At first he had thought the excursion was a personal, now he wasn't too sure. The blond had stayed in the mountain all night or she had left without Maxwell noticing. Either scenario was troubling. At least Turner had stayed put--for now, but Terrance was ready for when Turner and his boss decide to leave the hotel.

Baltimore Hospital

Sydney was just finished checking her last patient when she noticed a Japanese woman waiting by the elevators staring at her. It had been a long night and she was eager to get home.

"Can I help you," she asked, going over to where the woman stood.

"Doctor Turner is not in Maryland."

"No. He accompanied Major Reese on a business assignment."

"I was not informed of this new case. Do you know where they went?"

"No," Sydney lied. "Paul did say they might be moving around a lot and he might not be accessible at all times."

"This is a dangerous assignment for him, then."

"When does he need his next dose?"

"By this evening. Here is the vial. Be sure he gets it." The elevator doors opened as if on cue and she immediately stepped in.

Sydney pocketed the vial and hurried to her office. With trembling fingers, she called the airport and booked the next available flight.

Taxi

Paul turned and looked at Lynne as the taxi pulled up next to a small white ranch. There was no driveway, but the fence and bushes made it look comfortable and homey. When Samantha had called, explaining that she was bringing her father to her house and would soon leave to pick them up, Lynne had promptly offered to take a taxi, thus saving Samantha a trip.

A curtain moved and as Paul paid the driver, the front door opened. Samantha Carter stood at the entrance with a hesitant smile on her face. Lynne was already past the gate and halfway up the walk before Paul put his wallet away.

"He's in the living room," Samantha told Lynne, then she turned to him. "Come on in."

Paul entered her house, looking at the décor, trying to get a handle on Samantha Carter's personality. The hallway was long, with the first door leading into a den or library. The hall ended at a junction between the living room and the kitchen. An older, balding man was reclining on the couch. He looked pale, but his whole face lit up as he looked at Lynne. Paul fidgeted, not quite knowing what to do. He then glanced at the daughter who also appeared uncomfortable.

"This is Dr. Paul Turner," Lynne introduced him.

Paul went around to the other side of the couch and shook the man's hand. Piercing dark eyes took his measure. "Nice to meet you, General."

"Forget the General. I'm retired. Call me Jacob."

Samantha snorted, then turned her face away.

Paul saw himself forgotten as the older man turned his attention back to Lynne.

"Want to help me get lunch together?" Samantha asked Paul.

"Sure," he replied. They went into the kitchen and she took out several bags of deli meat and had him assemble it on a plate. She broke apart some lettuce and sliced some tomatoes.

"Does Major Reese drink coffee, I can put a pot on?"

Paul smiled. "We both could use a cup." Paul helped her carry the plates and basket of rolls into the living room where she set everything on a table. She made a sandwich for her dad and handed him a glass of milk. He made a face of ecstasy as he chewed each bite. He acted as if a ham sandwich was something he rarely ate.

Paul was anxious to hear about the lymphoma, but so far, Lynne had neglected to bring the subject up. He tried to analyze the general's condition, but from the little he could tell, the man seemed healthy, although he looked to be in some pain. Jacob would adjust his body on the sofa, cringing and moving in slow deliberate increments.

Suddenly Jacob brought up Paul's own health. "Lynne tells me that your aplastic anemia has gone in remission. You're a lucky guy."

Samantha groaned.

Paul took a deep breath. "It's not completely gone. When I over-do it, or tax my immune system, my body doesn't keep up--I have relapses. How about you? Lynne's been very concerned over your lymphoma. I've never heard of that disease just going away." Paul couldn't help the accusatory tone to his voice. Lynne sent him a warning look, but he ignored it and focused totally on the general.

Jacob cleared his throat. "I've been lucky. The Air Force used some alternative medicine that is still in the experimental stage."

"Side effects?"

Jacob laughed. "Oh, yeah. A little voice inside my head that's always telling me what to do."

"Dad!" Samantha warned.

Paul stiffened. A little voice inside my head telling me what to do? Was he referring to his conscience or to the shadow agency?

Jacob shrugged his shoulders, then winced. His eyes went vacant for a second as if in great pain, then he smiled again. "Old age is creeping up on me. After laying in bed for so long, my body doesn't have the strength it used to."

Paul didn't buy that for a second. It wasn't arthritis or weakness, it was an injury. That posed even more questions. The two men exchanged calculating looks, but unless Paul wanted to confide in the general, there wasn't much he could do right now. He turned and glanced at Lynne. She knew the man better than he did, was she buying his explanation?

Conrad's home

Adrian sat in his chair analyzing the latest information. The subject, Dr. Turner, was in Colorado Springs. Terrance had just called and confirmed that the two people Turner and Major Reese had gone to visit was General Jacob Carter and his daughter. How could Turner have figured out the connection between himself and General Carter? Frank wasn't happy at the latest development, but Adrian only wanted to see how it could benefit him. Could he kidnap Jacob Carter and steal his parasite? Frank did say that the one Carter carried wasn't the enemy. He could remove the friendly parasite from the general and put it in himself. Turner would become superfluous and the experiments with him unnecessary.

However, it wouldn't do to have Carter find out about Turner's dependence on the serum they were giving him. Adrian called Terrance Shepard back.

"Yes, Mr. Conrad?"

"Pick up Jacob Carter and bring him back to the lab. He has one of those parasites inside him. I want you to remove it."

"Yes, of course. Is he dangerous?"

"He's an old man, he shouldn't give you any trouble. I also want both Dr. Turner and his girlfriend. Take a sample of Turner's blood and have it analyzed immediately. I want to know if the new serum is working."

"If we can get the parasite out of Carter, why do we need to bother with Turner?"

"In case the parasite dies during the extraction procedure. If we can do a successful implantation, then we'll terminate all aspects of the previous experiment."

"Understand."

Adrian disconnected and leaned back in his chair. Diana entered the room with a tray. "You're smiling. Something happen?" she asked him.

"We're getting closer. With any luck in a few days I'll be totally cured."

Dark sedan outside Samantha Carter's home.

Terrance closed his phone and perused the house within the comfortable anonymity of the car. Kidnap the old man along with Turner, or wait and take Turner when the woman arrives? Difficult decision. On one hand, he didn't need Sidney Mcmillan, but she was carrying a sample of the serum, something he didn't want in Air Force hands. Maxwell had informed him that the old Carter was injured; he had needed his daughter to lean on during the walk up to the front door. It would make the extraction easier, less fight in him, but harder in that his mobility was restricted.

"How many men do you have?" Terrance asked, thinking that maybe they should render Carter unconscious and carry him out.

"There's two in the utility truck around the corner. Another two are on the backside of the house and I have six others close by that I can call in."

Shepard calculated the odds. He didn't want any part of the action, he preferred the background where he could orchestrate the extraction and keep his identity secret.

"Do it. Mr. Conrad wants the old man taken--alive," he stressed. "Turner cannot be hurt, but I don't care about the women."

"If Turner proves difficult?"

"Take him, too. We'll just have to pick up his girlfriend before she finds out."

Inside Samantha Carter's home

Jacob's side was aching. Selmak had done her best, but it took time for muscles to knit. "What do you think of his story?" Jake asked his symbiote.

"He is not Goa'uld, yet I can discern something in his blood."

"Nacquada?"

"No. Maybe in trace amounts. You should have it analyzed."

"Kind of hard to just ask for some of his blood," Jake replied sarcastically.

"True, although I think he would accept help from us. I think he is still sick and only has the appearance of health."

Jacob stopped to think. The man investigated the misuses of science. Lynne had remarked that he was very good at his job and had solved many difficult cases. What if during his investigation he came across a rogue outfit that promised to cure him in exchange for turning a blind eye to their experiments.

"He looks honorable," Selmak reminded him.

"Looks can be deceiving," he countered.

"But would your friend not pick up on his duplicity?"

Jake didn't know. His instinct was telling him that Turner was hiding something, but what that something was, eluded him. The fact that Selmak seemed to trust Turner and he was now suspicious didn't faze him. He was used to these reversals. It was why they made such a good team.

"So why didn't you cell me back?" Lynne asked, breaking into Jacob's internal conversation. "Why are you so difficult to get a hold of?"

"When did you first try?" Jacob chanced a quick look to Sam who shrugged her shoulders.

"Sorry, Dad. I didn't tell you. It's my fault," Sam took the blame.

Dr. Turner's head pivoted quickly, but Jacob couldn't tell if the young man bought the fiction or not.

"It's not really fiction," Selmak hastened to point out. "Samantha didn't tell you."

"Yeah because I was on the mission with V'tel and Selca." He turned to Sam. "That's okay, I realize I haven't really been approachable for the past few weeks."

"Jacob!" Selmak abruptly interrupted. "I heard a noise in another room consistent with someone entering the house through a window."

Jacob stiffened and listened carefully. "Sam, we have an intruder."

VI

SGC

Jack O'Neill walked into the infirmary, curious to see how the injured Tok'ra were doing. Dr. Fraiser was busy, writing notes on a chart and checking the monitors.

"Hi, Doc. Any change?"

"V'tel is impatient, but Kutunin is still unresponsive."

"Is she gonna die?"

"It doesn't look good for the host, but I can't tell with the symbiote."

"So, who's who? I mean, do you know who the host is and who's the snake?"

V'tel limped over to where Jack was standing. "I am V'tel, the host."

His voice sounded normal, Jack thought, although his eyes looked hostile. "Hi V'tel, I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill." He stuck out his hand, which V'tel looked at but didn't attempt to gasp.

"My symbiote's name is Simek. He doesn't talk much and usually only to me or Kutunin."

"Okay, does that mean Kutunin is the host?"

"No, Kutunin is the symbiote. Selca is the host. In this particular blending the symbiote has more control. It depends upon the individual."

"Individual? I thought the whole process was with two beings?"

The Tok'ra sighed. "Individual blending. Each host-symbiote blending is different." He turned away from Jack and looked at the doctor. "How is Kutunin doing? Has she regained consciousness?"

Doctor Frasier shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. But--"

"Don't you have do-hickies that can monitor," Jack interrupted, "brain waves or blood pressure or whatever passing for its body functions?"

"Yes, and Kutunin's brain, or, uh, Selca's brain seems very much alive. Our monitors are giving us normal wave patterns."

Normal for what? Jack thought silently. Normal for a snake or for a host? Jack felt a shiver slid down his back. If the snake couldn't communicate with them, how would it know it could change hosts? Would it jump out at the nearest human? "Oh. How's Jacob? I don't see him here. You release him?"

"Temporarily. Sam took him home to see an old friend."

"Oh, yeah the Army major. Maybe I should drop in."

The doctor smiled. "Curious?"

"Jacob's got a girlfriend. This I'd like to see. Has Carter told you what she's like?"

"No. She's Army and a major. Oh and a doctor," Fraiser seemed to add as an afterthought.

"Another scientist?" Jack moaned.

"I don't know about that," she said with a laugh. "The only kind Sam mentioned was medical--as in physician."

"That's okay, then." Jack nodded half to himself, still imagining Jacob with some hot babe from Washington.

"Listen, if you're serious about going, I've got some pills here he forgot to take with him."

Jack picked up the bottle. "Antibiotics? The Tok'ra can't take care of the buggers on their own?"

"Probably, but better safe than sorry. Selmak hasn't openly refused them. Probably gives her one less thing to worry about."

Jack nodded, pretending to understand. "Good excuse. Thanks, Doc."

Jack left the mountain, armed with a bottle of pills and a huge dose of curiosity. He was exiting the elevator as Daniel was walking up to it.

"Where're you going, Jack?" Daniel asked.

"Carter took her dad to her house to see some doctor, major, friend of his. I'm going to check her out."

"Carter or the friend?"

"Ha. Ha. The friend. Jacob is still injured and this friend is curious about how he became healed from the lymphoma. I'm kinda curious to know how Jacob's gonna field the questions."

"Don't you think it might be his business? You know, personal?"

Jack stiffened for a second. Jacob was now Tok'ra, not just some retired general from the Air Force. "Naw. Since Jacob is now Tok'ra, he can't have a personal life on Earth. At least not a private one. You wanna come?"

Daniel stared at him for several seconds before responding. "I suppose, if only to keep you from putting your foot in your mouth. And, we make it clear to Jacob that this is all your idea."

"Great, let's go."

Outside Samantha Carter's house

Terrance had radio contact with Maxwell and coordinated the extraction. Two men were to enter the end bedroom window, causing enough noise to induce someone from the group to investigate. Terrance hoped it would be Turner, so that they could knock him unconscious and thus remove him from the equation.

The sound of glass breaking came over the radio. "Going in," one of the men spoke into his transceiver.

Terrance looked out his darkened window with his binoculars. Frustrated at his lack of perspective, he left the car and ambled over to the little park across the street from the younger Carter's home. He sat on a bench with his newspaper and watched unobtrusively.

Everything was still quiet on the street. No one was paying them the slightest attention. He ordered Maxwell to send in the next team. A shadow crossed the lawn. Terrance admired their stealth.

Suddenly a car pulled up just behind Samantha Carter's car. Two men got out. One was older with gray hair. The other had light brown hair. They exited the car laughing, slamming the doors with little regard to the danger surrounding them. Terrance felt a ripple of alarm, as he commanded, "Grab him now, I don't care how sloppy!"

Two shots rang out, making the newcomers freeze for only a second. Terrance swore.

Inside Carter's house

The sound of breaking glass was unmistakable. Sam jumped up from the chair and went to her desk and withdrew a small pistol. Creeping low, she went to the front window and peeked out. "Nothing close, but a large car is parked further down the street." she informed them.

Turner was right behind her. "I'll check back there," he told her, indicating the back of the house.

That was her bedroom. "No, I'm the one with the gun," she insisted.

"Sam," Jacob spoke up. "Never go without back-up," he admonished as he pushed himself off the couch, visibly wincing with the effort.

"You stay here, Dad."

"Any other firepower?" he asked, looking ready to enter the fray.

"No," she replied with regret. The sound of her bedroom door opening echoed in the silent house. Using hand motions, Sam directed Dr. Turner to the opposite side of the hall from where she was standing. She peeked around the corner and two shots were fired.

Sam ducked back, looking at Turner, but he was leaving his spot and heading toward the sliding glass door. Sam chanced another peek toward her room and saw a man peeking out at her, so she fired at him. Several shots in rapid succession came from the back, hitting Turner in the shoulder. He gasped and sunk down, holding his hand against the wound. Her drapes were used to soak up some of the blood. Two large holes were visible in the large glass panes.

The two men from the bedroom erupted out and into the living room. Sam fired, but at the same time four men burst in from the back door. Turner tackled them from his position, but they punched him in the face, sending him face-down to the floor.

Sam had little time to spare for his welfare; her attention focused on the two coming from her room. One she hit, and he went down, but the other took aim and a ripping pain radiated from her arm. The gun fell from her hand.

The interlopers converged upon her father who began to fight them hand to hand. Major Reese also began kicking and hitting, defending herself and Jacob, but ended up with a hit to her head. She faltered, then collapsed to her knees.

Sam turned back to her bleeding arm. The intruders paid her little attention. One set was with Dr. Turner, pulling up his shirtsleeve and attempting to withdraw blood. The other four were standing over her father. She saw one remove a needle, she tried to rise and shout a warning, but her body wouldn't obey her mind's commands. Sam watched helplessly as one of the kidnappers injected her father with something and restrained his arms and legs.

Suddenly the front door burst open. Daniel rushed inside, waving one of the colonel's spare guns. She wanted to tell Daniel that they were after her father, but the words wouldn't form in her mouth. The men were dragging her father out the broken door, when several more shots were fired.

"Hold it there assholes!" the colonel's voice echoed in her head.

Daniel came further into the room. The man trying to get blood from Turner ripped the vacutainer off the needle and took off behind the others.

"My Dad!" Sam croaked. Her vision was beginning to get fuzzy. More rounds of shots were fired in the backyard. Sam needed to see what was going on. She crept forward but Daniel stopped her. He had his cell phone out and was calling for an ambulance. Sam remembered her father's friend. Through a pain-filled haze she finally saw Major Lynne Reese on the floor, a puddle of blood beside her head. Sam's head rolled to the side as she lost the fight to stay conscious.

Outside Carter's house

Jack stiffened as he heard the first shot. His eyes met Daniel's over the top of the car. Daniel went back into the car and withdrew the spare gun from the glove compartment. Jack pulled out another gun from his ankle holster. He signaled for Daniel to go in the front, flushing whoever was inside out the back where he'd be waiting.

He looked down the road and saw a large sedan parked several driveways down. He knew every single car that belonged on this little side street, and that one wasn't on the list. Without conscious thought Jack filed the license plate number in the back of his mind. A man sitting on a bench folded his newspaper and began walking to the car. A split minute decision had Jack ignoring him and racing to Carter's back yard. As the car drove away, Jack swore to himself that he'd track the stranger down at a later date. For now, he had to prevent whatever was happening inside the house.

More gunfire. Jack rounded the corner in time to see two men dragging an unconscious Jacob Carter out the door. Jack leveled his gun and shot the man closest, killing him instantly. The other realized that he had no chance alone with a heavy load, dropped Jacob and headed the other way. Three others came out behind them. Jack fired, nicked one, but all it did was make the others run faster. The men all went in different directions. Without thought, Jack picked the man he nicked and took off after him. He needed at least one to question.

The man leaped a neighbor's fence. Jack had to slow. He made it over, but not as effortlessly. Twice the man turned to gage how close Jack was to him. The backyards that were adjacent to Carter's formed a cul-de-sac. The fleeing man seemed to be heading to the common circle. The sound of sirens in the distance told Jack that he had to wind up this chase now. Taking a deep breath, he called up all his reserves and surged ahead. A barking dog made the man swerve and avoid that yard. Jack was closing on him. They were now in the same yard, but the man wasn't turning to see where Jack was, no he was focusing on something ahead. A large conversion van sat idling at the bottom of the driveway, it's door thrown open. The fleeing man kicked a toy bike out of his way as he leaped inside the van. The door closed as it sped away. "Damn!" Jack swore in fury, as he memorized the plate number.

VII

Air Force Academy Hospital

Jacob regained consciousness with Dr. Fraiser bending over and listening to his heart.

"Seems to be still working," she commented dryly. "You gave us quite a scare."

"My heart is fine, but my stomach feels like a rolling ocean."

"You were drugged. On top of everything we'd given you. Selmak probably detoxed you."

Jacob let out a deep breath. Selmak was suspiciously quiet. "What are you thinking?" he asked her.

"While you were preoccupied with your daughter, I was watching Dr. Turner. Just before you lost consciousness, they bent to take a blood sample from him. He's not Goa'uld, but he has naquadah in his blood. Minute quantities I was able to detect as they removed it. These people are experimenting on him and wanted, you or," she paused dramatically, "me."

Jacob swallowed thickly, then looked up at the doctor. "How is everyone? Were we all rescued in time?"

"Yes. Sam and Dr. Turner were shot and are recovering. Major Reese was bludgeoned on the head. I'm afraid she's not doing as well."

Jacob felt himself sink into grief. His poor Lynne. What had he gotten her into?

Selmak would not have it and took over his voice. "Dr. Fraiser. Could you please take a blood sample from Dr. Turner and analyze it for Goa'uld markers? I have reason to believe our attackers wanted me, not Jacob, and not the others, and it's possible Dr. Turner is involved."

Dr. Fraiser stiffened, then responded, "I understand Selmak."

Jacob told Selmak silently, "Dr. Turner is an honorable man. Setting up an ambush at Sam's is not something he would do."

"Never-the-less we must find out what he knows. His presence here is not only as your friend's friend."

Dr. Fraiser's office at the Academy

After the tests were run, Janet called Colonel O'Neill and asked him to come to the hospital. He had been working nonstop trying to track down the license plate, but had come up with roadblocks.

"Any luck?" she asked as he sunk into a chair in her office.

"No. The car is government. The man I killed doesn't exist. It must be an NID operation."

"I think I have another clue."

His eyes widened. "Really? What?"

"How much did Jacob tell you about his friends?"

"Friends? As in plural? I only thought there was a woman, Major Reese?"

"She was accompanied by a man, Dr. Paul Turner. He used to be in the Army, served in the Middle East, and came into contact with a chemical that resulted in a terminal case of aplastic anemia."

"Terminal? So, he's dying?"

"No, he's not. At least not now."

"So, he's in remission?"

"Not exactly, it's still there. His blood count is lower than normal, but not enough to show clinical signs of the disease."

"Why did you even run the blood test? Standard procedure with a gun shot wound?"

"Selmak asked me to run it."

"The snake's suspicious of Turner?"

Janet took a deep breath. "It seems that when the men crashed Sam's place, not only did they try and kidnap her father, they also stopped long enough to try and grab a blood sample from Dr. Turner. Selmak observed their action and it aroused her suspicion."

"Do we have the sample or did they get away with it?"

"I don't know."

Jack ran his hand through his hair causing it to stick up in odd angles. "So, what's in Turner's blood that they're so hot for?"

"He is taking a medicine to combat the disease. The kicker is that it contains Goa'uld factors." Janet let the info sink in.

The colonel stiffened. "Goa'ulds? Turner's doctor is using Goa'ulds to make his medicine?"

"It appears that way. But how did they get one?"

O'Neill paled. "Does Turner know anything?"

"I don't think so. He doesn't show any fear of us looking at his blood. In fact it almost appears as if he believes we're just going through the formalities, that we already know what's there. Dr. Turner doesn't trust this facility or me. His eyes reflect his every thought."

"Then maybe we ought to talk to him."

Janet agreed.

Outside the Academy

Terrance parked his car on the side of the road perusing the gate to the Air Force Academy. How was he going to get in? Both Turner and Jacob Carter had been admitted to the hospital inside, which left him few options. He didn't have the papers to allow his entry and he didn't dare force his way in. With little choice, he took out his cell phone and called Adrian Conrad.

"How could you have bungled the extraction so badly," Conrad barked into Terrance's ear.

"I'm a researcher, not a mercenary. I should be in the lab analyzing data."

"You should be where I tell you to be. Did you at least get a blood sample from the subject?"

"Yes, we did and I've had it FedExed to the lab."

"Get Jacob Carter."

"He's currently at the hospital in the Air Force Academy. I can't get in. Is there any way you can fax me ID."

"I'll send it to you as soon as I receive it." Conrad hung up the phone.

Terrance breathed a sigh of relief. Since Turner didn't know him, he should be able to slip in, remove Carter and transport him to Immunitech.

Turner's hospital room

Paul couldn't understand how everything had deteriorated so fast. Lynne was in a coma, because she had gotten in the way. Those men wanted to kidnap Jacob Carter so that Paul couldn't ask him any questions. It was the only logical explanation. Now he was trapped at the Air Force Academy Hospital, the Japanese woman wouldn't be able to enter and give him any more of the serum. They wanted him to die. It was his punishment for asking questions.

The door opened. A man with graying hair, and a military bearing wheeled Jacob Carter into his room. Paul felt caught by the man's accusing eyes--eyes that could flay him alive. Paul suppressed a shiver.

Dr. Fraiser was quick to circle the wheel chair and come over to Paul's bed. "Hello, Dr. Turner. This is Colonel Jack O'Neill and of course you know General Carter."

Paul nodded. A full bird. "Hello," he responded meekly.

The colonel kept up his cold stare. "We would like to ask you some questions." It was more of a demand.

"Sure," Paul responded, not quite sure what else they wanted to know. "I didn't find out anything. I mean, this trip wasn't my idea, I was just accompanying Major Reese. I know I was told not to delve too deeply into the serum, but I didn't think you'd kill one of your own people to keep the truth from me."

The colonel blinked. "Kill our own people?"

"I heard the gun shot. I know one man died and I know Major Carter was shot to keep her--"

"We don't shoot our own people!" the colonel exploded, then began pacing the room.

Paul looked puzzled. His eyes left the colonel's and rested on Jacob Carter's. "I don't know what is going on."

The colonel responded harshly, "Well that makes--"

"Jack," Jacob interrupted. "Let me ask him."

The colonel grunted but acquiesced.

"Dr. Turner, how is your disease in remission?"

Paul gulped. Outside of Sydney, he had told no one else. This seemed to verify his assumption. "You don't know? Aren't you making it?"

Dr. Fraiser shook her head. "We understand what's in it, but we didn't synthesize it."

Now, Paul was even more confused. "You know what they're giving me?"

"Who's giving it to you?"

"Generally or specifically?"

The colonel exploded again. "You're getting a classified substance injected into your body and you know nothing about it? Give me a break!"

Paul glanced from Dr. Fraiser to the colonel, then to General Carter. "Are you getting the same serum?"

Carter shook his head no.

"Tell me everything you know about this serum," Dr. Fraiser asked gently.

Paul recounted the entire story, including his sporadic visits by the Japanese woman who gave him vials containing different amounts of the serum. "I came here thinking that since General Carter had his lymphoma cured, it was possible he was connected to the shadow government agency supplying the medicine."

Paul saw that his three guests were speechless. "Are you connected?" he asked Carter directly, then turned to Dr. Fraiser and accused, "You said you recognize the components in the serum."

Dr. Fraiser took a deep breath then turned to the colonel without answering the question. "We have to find out who's supplying the serum."

"I know." He ran his hand through his short hair. "When did you get your last dose?" he asked Paul

"Before I left."

"How do they know when you need another one?"

"I don't know. They either have me watched or they know how much of the medicine they're giving me. Or both."

"So why did they take blood from you at Major Carter's house?" the doctor asked.

"I didn't know they took it. They've never done that before." Paul stopped to think. "Wait, I remember her telling me to take the serum immediately, but I wasn't relapsing yet. Usually I start getting sick before I get a new dose. They pretty much keep me in the dark."

"Jack, you're forgetting something," General Carter spoke up. "They were trying to kidnap me. If we go on the assumption that it was the same people who've been supplying the serum to Dr. Turner that tried to take me, then it's only reasonable--"

"Oh, God!" Dr. Fraiser exclaimed. "They need another, ah…"

"Yeah," the colonel agreed, raking his hand through his hair yet again.

"What?" Paul asked. "What do you have that they need?"

"My blood," Carter answered.

"I don't--"

"Can't explain," the colonel told him abruptly, then turned to his companions. "General Hammond needs to be briefed on this. And a guard put on Dr. Turner and Jacob. We can't take any chances these people can get in here."

Dr. Fraiser nodded her head. "I recommend we transport them both to the SGC."

"I'll ask Hammond."

"I really need to do some more tests on his blood. It would make it easier if he was there instead of here so I can use my special machines. Actually what would really be helpful is a sample of the serum you're taking."

"They told me that if I analyzed it, it would immediately break down and they wouldn't give me any more and I would die. I'm sure you don't blame me for following their instructions."

"I have more sensitive equipment," she told him with utter confidence.

"They won't give him any more, doc," O'Neill informed them. "He's been compromised."

The three exchanged meaningful looks again. Paul felt left out. He really wanted to know what was going on. He felt relieved that these people were not involved with the Japanese woman and her cohorts, but somehow they knew a way of curing cancer and weren't sharing it with the world. That pissed him off.

They mumbled a few words to each other and then left his room. Lynne's friend turned and gave him a sympathetic look and then the door closed. Paul was alone again. As he closed his eyes, Sydney's face rose in his mind. What was she doing now? What if they tried to use her to get to him?

Colorado Springs Airport

Dr. Sydney MacMillan picked up her bag from the baggage claim and grabbed one of the numerous taxis waiting at the exit. She told him to take her to the Radisson. The vial felt heavy in her pocket. Her hand slipped inside and she rolled it around in her palm. Paul needed this. Already his blood cells were breaking down. He would be getting tired, but would be too proud to let Major Reese know that he was sick. The thought made her heart ache.

The taxi pulled up to the hotel's front entrance. She paid the fare and went immediately to the front desk. At first she asked them to call up to Paul's room, but when no one answered, she booked herself a room. She left a message for him, letting him know she was there. As she waited for an elevator a man came up and stood beside her.

"Dr. MacMillan? Sydney MacMillan?"

She turned and looked at him. "Yes," she answered, noticing his clean-cut appearance, British accent, hazel eyes, and warm smile.

"I'm Dr. Shepard. I'm sorry to intrude upon you, but I believe Dr. Turner to be in some trouble."

Her eyes widened in shock. "You know Paul?"

"Quite well. We're colleagues of sorts."

"What kind of trouble is he in?"

"The government has found out about his cure and wants to know everything."

Internal alarms rang loudly in Sydney's head. Paul had told her specifically that she was the only one outside of the shadow organization who gave him the serum that knew about the method of his cure. There was no way Paul would have confided in this man. Even Major Reese didn't know about it. Struggling to keep her face passive, she asked, "Do you know where he's being kept?"

"Air Force Academy Hospital. He was shot when they took him."

Sydney felt faint. "Shot?"

"Guess he must have resisted."

"Do you know about Major Reese?"

"No. She might be dead. Be careful Dr. MacMillan. These are dangerous people."

She wanted to get as far away as possible from this man. Despite his kind manners and warnings, she felt chilled by his presence. The elevator opened up. She stepped in and he followed behind her. He smiled as she hit the button for the sixth floor. He hit the button for the ninth floor. When the doors opened at her level, she got out, but not before he called out to her, "If I can be of assistance, please let me know. I'm in room 905."

The doors closed. It would be a cold day in hell before she'd ask him for help. But, she reasoned to herself, if he didn't know she mistrusted him, he might be tricked into giving her more information. At least she knew now that Paul was at the Air Force Academy. Now she had to figure out how to visit him.

VIII

SGC Infirmary

Jacob looked over at the sleeping Paul Turner. Dr. Fraiser had given him a sedative before transporting him to the mountain. Hammond wanted to take no chances that the ex-Army officer would figure out where he was. Jacob asked to be placed in the same room to keep Turner calm and maybe to extract more information. Neither fully trust the man, but at least Selmak was more willing to listen to what he had to say.

"Can it be possible that someone on your world has captured a Goa'uld and is using it for medical experiments?" Selmak asked interrupting Jacob's thoughts.

"Would they, yes. How did they get one without someone from the SGC bringing one back is the mystery. It must be bothering the hell out of George thinking of a rogue soldier under his command."

"What about area 51? Don't they have access to Goa'uld technology? Could they have supplied this research group with help?"

"I don't know. This whole situation smells of NID influence. I can empathize with Dr. Turner. I've been were he is, terminal, told you're going to die and then out of the blue someone comes and gives you hope. He's scared that now we've found out, he won't receive the serum anymore and he's going to die."

"A symbiote would help. If this drug was able to keep his disease repressed, a live Tok'ra could do so much more."

Jacob thought about it. "Like V'tel or Kutunin? I'm afraid that Kutunin is lost if the host is unable to regain consciousness."

"Not necessarily. We can go in and take her out."

"Not even knowing if the symbiote is alive and healthy?"

"Dr. Fraiser's monitors tell us that Kutunin is struggling to keep her host alive, but is still functioning."

"Please don't even mention this idea to George or Jack. We need to solve one problem at a time."

"Okay, I will not say anything. Just consider the idea."

Jacob sighed. He had to agree it was a good idea, he just knew that Jack would never see it that way.

Paul began to stir. He opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. "They did move me," he commented.

Jacob smiled. "Dr. Fraiser needed her more sophisticated equipment to try and manufacture the serum. Don't give up, Dr. Turner. They're all pretty smart here."

"Do you belong at this place?"

"Sort of but not really. I come here to visit, because Sam's here, but I have ties to other places and other people."

"You're not telling me anything."

Jacob smiled again. "I know. It's classified. In fact this whole installation is classified. They won't allow Lynne in here. The only reason General Hammond agreed was to protect you from who ever tried to kidnap me, and to give Dr. Fraiser access to her toys."

Paul still looked groggy, so Jacob refrained from questioning him. The curtain was pulled aside and George poked his head through. Paul had his eyes closed, but Jacob doubted he was asleep.

"How are you doing Jake?"

"I've been better. How's Sam? Did she get hit?"

"Yes, but she's doing fine. Dr. Warner came in so Dr. Fraiser could meet you at the Academy. I wish they had brought you here. Were there any problems with your previous doctors?"

"None that I know of. Dr. Fraiser probably ran interference."

"Is he asleep?" George asked, nodding toward Turner.

"No, but still feeling the effects of the sedative."

"Jack briefed me on the facts, do you have anything to add?"

"Not really. How are my colleagues? Any changes?"

"V'tel is doing well. He heard about your situation and he's concerned. I told him you're here, so when you're feeling better it might be wise to go see him."

"And Selca? Is she still in a coma?"

"Dr. Fraiser sees evidence that she may be coming out of it. We're keeping our fingers crossed."

Jacob felt Selmak's relief or was it his echoed by hers?

"Does it matter?" she whispered into his mind.

"Get some rest, Jacob," Hammond said quietly.

Jake nodded and purposely closed his eyes. He did feel tired.

Air Force Academy Gate

Sydney drove her newly rented car to the entrance of the Academy. The guard motioned her to the side and went to her side window.

"I'm Dr. Sydney MacMillan. I called ahead and was told that I would meet someone who would escort me to the hospital?"

"Yes, Dr. MacMillan. Cadet Gutenberg will drive you to the hospital. There you will meet with Dr. Janet Fraiser. Park your car over there," he pointed to a small lot that had only one other car in it. "Wait there and I'll let you know when your escort arrives."

Sydney nodded and did as he requested. While waiting, she took out the map of Colorado Springs and tried to get her bearings. It took another fifteen minutes before the escort arrived.

A young woman, possibly twenty-something, wearing cadet blues came over to the car. "Dr. MacMillan? I'm here to drive you to the hospital. Please come with me."

Sydney got out of her car and followed the young woman to another car marked as one belonging to the academy. They both got into the car and since the young woman didn't seem inclined to make small talk, Sydney remained quiet and observed the scenery. The mountains made a magnificent backdrop to the military college situated at its base. Rocky faced and snow-capped, the peaks seem to soar to the sky. Sydney had been in the southern Appalachians, but they didn't compare to the Rockies. After around ten minutes, the cadet escort drove into the hospital's parking lot. She parked and led the way to a front desk. A call was placed and Sydney was told to wait in a chair against the wall for Dr. Fraiser to come and collect her.

A petite woman came around the corner wearing friendly smile and the ubiquitous white coat. "Dr. MacMillan?"

Sydney rose from the chair. "Yes, I'm Dr. Sydney MacMillan."

"I understand you're Dr. Paul Turner's physician?" Despite her friendly face, there was a note of steal in her voice.

"That is correct. I've come from Baltimore, and I really need to see him. Is he okay?" she asked, inadvertently revealing her worry.

"Come with me to my office. There's lots we have to talk about."

Sydney followed the woman down several halls and up a flight of stairs. Her office wasn't near any units; sort of tucked away in a corner. Sydney sat in a chair while the other doctor closed her office door.

"First let me tell you that as of this morning, Dr. Turner is doing fine, but his cell count is dropping."

A pit developed in her gut. Was it a result of the gunshot or did it just happen to reoccur now? How was she to sneak the serum to Paul with the military looking on? Well if the Japanese woman could do it, she could do it too, she told herself. "How far has the disease advanced?"

"Not very, but coupled with a gunshot wound and blood loss, he's very weak."

"Gun shot?" Sydney took a deep breath. At least that part of Dr. Shepard's story was real.

"Yes. There was an altercation at Major Carter's home."

"Altercation? What a bunch of bullshit."

"Okay, I admit that Jacob Carter was in the process of being kidnapped and Dr. Turner stepped in to aid Major Carter in repelling the attack. He was shot in the process."

"Why would--" Sydney paused. She didn't care about Major Reese's friend. "It doesn't matter." She tried to gather her thoughts.

"Can you tell me Dr. MacMillan what you are treating him with that enabled the aplastic anemia to go into remission?" Dr. Fraiser shocked Sydney with her blunt question.

"Standard protocol. His body just began synthesizing--"

"Dr. MacMillan--" she interrupted. "I'm not stupid. We both know that isn't possible."

"Neither is General Carter's miraculous recovery from lymphoma. Yet, that's what he said happened," she countered.

Dr. Fraiser retained her dogged expression, neither admitting nor denying the information.

"Listen, just let me see Paul," Sydney tried again.

"Was he conducting experiments on himself? Maybe trying new blood factors he had manufactured in his lab at USAMRIID?"

"No. He works in the field with Major Reese investigating misuses of science. The only bench work he does is related to his cases. Why won't you let me see him?"

Dr. Fraiser cleared her throat. "We've moved him from the academy to a secure place. After the attempt on General Carter, and the interest the same people were showing in Dr. Turner, we thought--"

"What interest?" Sydney exploded.

"They stopped to draw blood from Dr. Turner while he was incapacitated. Normally kidnappers don't do things like that."

"If these are the people supplying Paul with the serum, what interest do they have in Jacob Carter, unless he's involved with Paul's cure?" The triumphant look on the doctor's face made Sydney realize that she slipped.

"We don't know, that's what we're trying to figure out," Dr, Fraiser said gently. "Maybe with your help we will discover the connection."

Sydney didn't know what to think. First Dr. Shepard, a man that gave her the creeps, told her that he also knew about the serum and that Paul was in trouble. Now this Air Force doctor was telling her the same thing. Who should she trust? Shepard didn't have Paul, these people did. There had to be some way to make Dr. Fraiser take her to see Paul.

"I want to see Paul," Sydney stressed again. Was there anything else she could bargain with?

"He's safe. We won't let the NID get him."

NID? Who were they? The shadow agency that was supplying Paul with the serum? The serum! Sydney swallowed thickly. "I have another dose of the serum. That's why I flew to Colorado Springs. The Japanese woman told me that Paul needs this now."

"Give it to me. I'll be sure--"

"No. I won't. I need to see Paul. I have to." Her soul cried out to the other woman.

Dr. Fraiser picked up the phone and punched in some numbers. "General Hammond, can I have permission to bring Dr. MacMillan to the base? She has an aliquot of the serum and won't relinquish it to me unless she can see Dr. Turner."

There was a long silence, while Dr. Fraiser listened. "I understand, sir."

"Well, will you take me?" Sydney asked, hoping, praying her bluff had worked.

"Okay. Do you have the serum on you, or do you need to return to your hotel?"

"I have it."

Road to Cheyenne Mountain

Terrance had observed the car leaving the Academy containing Sydney MacMillan and an Air Force woman. He followed at a discrete distance. Conrad had informed him that the likeliest destination would be Cheyenne Mountain, so he had Maxwell set up a roadblock. They'd take the two women, and see if they couldn't flush out Turner and maybe the old man.

As they left the city and began traveling on the open country road, Terrance called Maxwell and moved in to spring the trap. Two cars did a one-eighty, blocking both sides of the road. Each car contained two men who jumped out and brandished guns visible enough for the Air Force driver to see. Terrance pulled up behind the Air Force car, thus blocking them from turning around.

Maxwell's men went to the driver still holding their guns and spoke to the two women. Terrance smiled as Sydney MacMillan and the driver got out of their car. Maxwell made each woman go in a separate car, thus eliminating any chance of their making plans to escape. As soon as the women were safely in the car, the Air force driver was shot and killed. Best to leave no witnesses.

Terrance never got out of his car, but watched as his men did their job. This time it went without a hitch. Finally! Terrance placed a call to Conrad to update him on the capture.

"Yes, Mr. Conrad. The women went quietly. No struggle."

"Keep the subject's girlfriend separate and interrogate the other woman. See what she knows. Then let her place a call to her commanding officer and demand a trade. Her for Jacob Carter."

"What about Turner?"

"If you can obtain him, proceed. However the blood test showed that the serum isn't working. I want Carter's parasite."

"Understood, sir."

Terrance hung up, beginning to plan how to arrange the exchange. The Air Force woman would have to be killed if he talked to her. He didn't want anyone to be able to identify him. He was an important researcher and didn't want his name blackened by becoming connected to this mess. Yet, he had no choice but to explain the way things stood. She had to be convinced that calling the Mountain was her only option and Terrance didn't trust Maxwell to assure her of this fact.

The trio of cars turned around and headed back to Colorado Springs. Earlier that morning Terrance had contacted a colleague who had a practice outside of Denver. The other physician had agreed to let Terrance borrow his office for the space of a week. With the money Terrance had given him, the doctor and his family were currently flying to the Caribbean for a well-earned vacation.

Armed with a stock of pharmaceuticals, Terrance was sure he could keep the two women quiet. When they arrived at the vacant building, Maxwell and his men ushered the two women inside before Terrance exited his car. He took a syringe and filled it with a sedative and instructed Maxwell to have Turner's girlfriend blind-folded. He went in and administered the shot, helping her to an exam bed and carefully folded a blanket over her. "Pleasant dreams, my dear. You'll be needed later," he told her quietly, as he left the room. He posted a guard inside, and told him to sit in the chair and watch her sleep. If she began waking up to contact him immediately.

Next he went into the room with the other woman. A shiver of excitement went up his back. She was a little thing. Red hair and it appeared a temper to match. It took both men to hold her still.

"You're not drugging me," she told them firmly.

"No need, if you'd just relax," Terrance informed her with an ingratiating smile.

"What do you want?"

"How about your name?"

"Janet Fraiser."

"No rank?" He walked over to her and pulled a nametag out of the pocket. "Ah, ha. Doctor Janet Fraiser. How convenient. I too, am a doctor."

"Are you the one who synthesized the serum that Dr. Turner is taking?"

Terrance nodded, accepting his full credit. "I've been keeping Turner alive for over a year now, although the formulation has been changed a few times. I'm curious, is this last batch working?" He was curious to know if Conrad had told him the truth.

"No. His count has been decreasing and he's beginning to show clinical signs of the disease."

Terrance frowned. "I was so sure I got it right this time. If you people hadn't interrupted me at Major Carter's house, Turner would have had another shot and be in full health. But, you had to interfere and now he's going to die."

The woman's eyes sparked with anger, which amused Terrance.

"Now that you know my name, what else do you want?"

"Your cooperation, of course. I'm sure Turner means very little to your people, whereas he represents a considerable investment to me. However, the others consider him expendable. Without my intervention, Dr. Turner won't receive any more serum and he will die. So, I suggest a trade. What do you think?"

"Me for Dr. Turner?"

"Oh, no. You for Jacob Carter. Sydney MacMillan for Turner. This will really be in your best interest. I have no interest in preserving your life. Whereas Carter will be of infinite help to me. Likewise with Dr. MacMillan. I can easily eliminate her, whereas I will do my best to save Turner's life.

"Where is she now?"

"Sleeping in another room."

"And if I don't cooperate?"

"I'll just kill you and call the Mountain myself," he responded harshly. "But you will cooperate." He moved up close so their noses were almost touching. "You owe me!" he told her, vehemently.

She swallowed thickly. "Where's the phone?"

"Here, use my cell." Terrance handed her the phone and she punched in the numbers.

"This is Dr. Fraiser. Connect me to General Hammond."

She tapped her foot a few times, then stiffened. "Yes, General. I'm in a little situation. The same people who tried to grab General Carter have taken me and Dr. MacMillan. He says he'll trade us for Jacob Carter and Dr. Turner." She paused and then looked up. "Where?"

"Oh, I don't know yet. Have them bring Carter and Turner out of the mountain and drive toward Denver. We'll call back in one hour."

Dr. Fraiser relayed the information. "Yes, I'm fine. They haven't hurt us, yet. Dr. MacMillan has been drugged….I don't know, sir. How's Dr. Turner?"

She listened and then looked up at Terrance. "He's not doing well. He needs more of the serum, now."

Terrance smiled. "Give him a parasite. Then he'll live. Surely you have a few lying around for your experiments."

The blood drained from her face. Then she turned back to the phone. Obviously the General had heard his comment. Good, then they knew he wasn't fooling around. She hung up the phone. "We don't have symbiotes lying around. Whatever gave you that idea?"

"You had one when General Carter needed it. Isn't Dr. Turner as important? Well, maybe not. He did leave the Army in disgrace." He waited till that sunk in. "Will you behave or shall we tranq you as well?"

She gracefully sat down on a chair. "I won't try anything."

Terrance left the room with two guards posted inside. And waited. He knew the Mountain must have caller ID and was thoroughly pissed when thirty minutes passed before his phone rang. "General Hammond?" Terrance answered.

"No, this is Colonel O'Neill."

SGC Infirmary

Paul rested with his eyes closed. He felt weak, just the thought of sitting up was too difficult to contemplate. Someone came into their room and whispered to General Carter. The older man sat up and with the help of the new comer left their room. Paul didn't care.

Several minutes passed by and then Paul heard another noise inside his room. Uneven steps followed by words spoken in another language. Curiosity gave him enough incentive to open his eyes and turn his head. Another man was sitting on Carter's bed appraising him.

"I am V'tel," the stranger told him. "I came to see Jacob, but he seems to be missing. Do you know where he is?"

"No," Paul answered, noticing that this man appeared drawn. This was an infirmary; it only made sense that there were other patients. "Someone came in here and they left together, but I don't know--"

"I heard there was a problem. Dr. Fraiser has been captured, along with another doctor."

"Captured?" Paul tried to make his mind comprehend what was being told to him.

"Yes. Jacob told me that he was caught in an altercation and was almost kidnapped. This would have been very bad for us. But, O'Neill was able to prevent this from happening, but now these same people have taken Dr. Fraiser and another woman, Dr. MacMillan, I believe Daniel said.

"Sydney?!" Paul exclaimed, feeling whatever blood he had remaining pool in his gut.

"That may have been the other part of her name."

Paul sat up and tried to bring his legs around to the side of the bed. His vision became dizzy and he collapsed back onto the bed.

"Are you alright?" V'tel asked, coming over to the bed.

"I'm dying," Paul told him, tonelessly. "Sydney has the medication I need to stay alive, but if she's been taken because I'm here, then--"

"I do not understand? Why would your presence at the SGC provoke your Sydney's kidnapping?"

"It's a long story." Paul took a deep breath, trying to calm his thudding heart. "Sydney is my girlfriend."

"Your mate."

Paul started at the strange phrase. "Yes, well, I was exposed to a chemical which has affected my bone marrow's ability to make blood cells. While I was in the hospital, Sydney did everything she could to keep me alive. It was hard on her, you know, watching me die a little more each day and not being able to anything about it," his voice broke.

"She loves you very much?"

Paul gave a sad smile. "She does."

"So, if you were so close to death, how did she save you?"

Paul suppressed a shiver. "She didn't. Someone came to me in the hospital and began giving me a drug without my consent or without Sydney even getting notified about it. As I regained my health, they used the drug to force me into doing what they wanted."

"Did they require you to do dangerous tasks?"

"No, mostly to look away during some of my investigations."

"Did you?"

Paul took a deep breath. "Not really. But I don't think I was getting close to them. If I had, then they would have stepped up their demands."

"Can Dr. Fraiser synthesize this drug for you?"

"Maybe that's why they took her. I don't know. But I bet Sydney's been given a vial of serum for me, but when I was brought here, they believed I was too much of a risk. Now they want me to die."

"How badly do you want to live?"

Paul laughed sardonically. "Enough to take the experimental drug and do what they tell me to. All I wanted to know was how Jacob Carter was cured of his lymphoma. I just wanted to know if that same alternative medicine could be used on me, then I wouldn't be a pawn in their hands anymore." Paul took sever breaths; talking was exhausting him.

"I know how Jacob's disease was cured. Selmak is responsible."

"Is Selmak a doctor here? Can he cure me, too?" Paul asked feebly.

"No, but I could--"

Several soldiers burst into the room, weapons drawn. Paul stiffened at the sight, but V'tel merely turned and looked at them blandly. General Hammond entered the room. His face alternated between white and red as he gazed at V'tel and then Paul.

"V'tel, you have been confined to quarters. Weren't my orders clear?"

"Yes, General Hammond. But, I was worried about Jacob and needed to see him for myself."

"You haven't confided anything to Dr. Turner of a private nature?" he asked, looking worried.

"No," V'tel answered, and Paul knew when to keep him mouth shut although he was dying to meet Dr. Selmak. Maybe he'd ask one of the nurses after all the firepower left.

Paul decided to take some of the heat off his new friend. "Hello, General. Pardon me if I don't get up to shake your hand."

For some reason, his answer seemed to relieve him. "That's okay, son. I've come to bring you some troubling news."

"V'tel told me that Dr. Fraiser has been kidnapped and that another doctor was with her. Was it Sydney?"

"Yes," General Hammond answered. "Dr. Fraiser informed me that Dr. MacMillan had a dose of the serum you've been taking and was adamant about bringing it to you personally. On their way, their car was ambushed. We got a call from Dr. Fraiser saying that they want to exchange you and Jacob for Dr. Fraiser and Dr. MacMillan."

"Then we better get going," Paul spoke as he tried to rise once more.

V'tel rushed to put his arms around Paul's shoulder and help him to sit up.

"This isn't necessary," General Hammond told him. "We have no intention of giving in to their demands."

"I don't see where you have a choice. I brought this problem to you. I--"

"They want Jacob, too," the general was quick to counter. "We're all involved now and you don't have to fight this alone."

"I don't understand why they wanted him, except as leverage to get at me."

"They want Jacob in order to make more of the serum they're giving you."

V'tel stiffened, and then asked, "Why don't we suggest a cure to him. When Jacob Carter was first brought to Vorash, Daniel Jackson was quick to say that Earth had much to offer--"

"Enough V'tel," the general ordered in a booming voice. The soldiers moved a step closer. "This is classified information and Dr. Turner doesn't have the clearance."

V'tel continued, looking undaunted. "This man is dying of a disease that I can easily fix. But, his body is failing and I can not bring a dead man to life."

"Enough," he bellowed. "I'm sorry," he said in a cajoling voice, intended to calm the now agitated old man. "Dr. Turner doesn't know or understand what you are suggesting," General Hammond pointed out.

Paul interrupted. "Then someone explain it to me. You have a cure close by, but you're going to deny it to me, why?"

"Simek is willing to cure you," V'tel told him, but continued to look at General Hammond.

"And the price is your life, V'tel."

"I am old, near death already. I am willing to die now so that Simek is given a new, young--"

Suddenly another man rushed into the room. It was Colonel O'Neill. "We've got several teams set up both in Denver and here. We'll get them, sir. Let me call and get the ball rolling." O'Neill waited and then looked questioningly at General Hammond. Then he noticed V'tel. "Oh, hell, don't tell me you're gonna go the snake route?" he directed at Paul. "You know that's what the kidnappers want?"

This was news to Paul. "What do you mean?"

"The kidnapper said on the phone that they weren't going to give you anymore serum and that if we wanted you to live we had to give you a parasite that we had laying around. And we have so many," O'Neill added, sarcastically.

"Parasite? Snake?" Paul turned to V'tel, totally confused.

"That is basically correct. We are not snakes, that is O'Neill's derogatory slang he uses to describe us. We are symbiotes, and we live inside a host by wrapping around the spine. We insert pilli into your brainstem, which enable us to access all of your brain's functions. Our body resembles a giant flagella, that gives us rapid motility and maneuverability. We monitor blood chemistry, muscle action and--"

"Memories?" Paul interrupted. "You can read our minds?"

"Our minds become one; that is why we call it a blending."

"Will I still be Paul Turner?"

"Time is a wasting," Colonel O'Neill interrupted, looking disgusted. "Why don't we let Dr. Turner think about it while we're getting the two lady doctor's back?"

Paul swallowed thickly. He was torn. He was going to die and having this snake called Simek enter him sounded like a miracle, but miracles always came at a price, and he wasn't sure he wanted to pay it.

"Go to sleep, son. We'll get Dr. Fraiser back and she'll make you some of that serum."

Since Paul didn't have a choice, he closed his eyes and listened as they all left his room. But sleep? Impossible.

The plan had been fixed. Captain Stahlman looked somewhat like Paul Turner and with a little makeup and different clothes; he would be used as decoy. The two marine teams had been placed in Denver, all in civilian clothes, waiting in case the chase ended up there. Carter and Daniel were at the mall and two more teams were placed along the highway leading up to Denver.

Jack and Jacob had argued for fifteen minutes about allowing the man to use himself as bait. It was just too great of a gamble. Jack had to blatantly use Selmak to get Jacob's cooperation.

"You must not really like your soul mate if you're so willing to risk her life," Jack taunted.

"We can take care of ourselves," Jacob insisted.

"Right, with staff burns trying to heal up your side, and bones trying to reknit."

Jacob's eyebrows rose.

Jack gloated. "You didn't know that I knew about your broken shoulder? Ha, I do read the reports, occasionally."

"They want me. If you go in, with only a Turner look-alike, they're going to kill Dr. Fraiser and Dr. MacMillan then disappear."

"We refuse to risk the life a Tok'ra symbiote."

Jacob started laughing. Tears fell from his eyes. "You Jack? Maybe you're worried about the might of a Tok'ra fleet, but I seriously doubt your feelings stem from preserving the life of a snake." He enunciated the last word.

"Well, that doesn't mean I want it, uh, her getting poked and prodded as part of some medical experiment. I wouldn't think you'd want that either. Are you really willing to gamble on her life like that?"

Jacob paused, and Jack thought that maybe finally he had made Jacob see sense. "You stay here and watch over V'tel and make sure he doesn't do something heroic and give up his life for--"

"A Tau'ri?" Selmak interjected.

"Yeah, well, yeah, something like that." With that issue solved, Jack got on the phone and called the kidnappers.

"General Hammond?" the voice asked.

"No, Colonel O'Neill. I've got Dr. Turner in my car, where do you want us to go?"

Outside of Denver

"Do you have General Carter, too?" Terrance asked, relieved that finally he was getting closer to finishing up in Colorado and getting back to the lab where he belonged.

"Yeah, but Jake isn't too happy about it. He's injured and this is just one more stress on his fragile body."

"I assure you we'll take very good care of him. Continue north on Route 25 until you come to Route 470. Head west until you see the sign for Mumford. Call me back when you get there."

Terrance disconnected and gathered his men. "Maxwell, take two cars and six men and cover the road leading to the clinic. I want Colonel O'Neill stopped and the identities of the two men inside his car verified before we let him any closer."

"Are we to escort them to the clinic?"

Terrance thought about it. Maybe they should sedate the General and carry him in. Then release Dr. Fraiser. Next maybe they should instruct Dr. Turner to walk up to the clinic door passing Maxwell as he carries Dr. MacMillan to the car.

"How are we going to get out of here without the military capturing all of us?" Maxwell asked, glancing back and forth between two of his men.

"I have a helicopter on stand-by. After we have Carter, I'll radio the bird and it will take five minutes for it to arrive. During that time we'll negotiate for Turner. As the chopper lands we'll take our captives and escape."

Carrying the phone in one hand and the radio in the other, Terrance paced back and forth in the front of the clinic. This had to go smoothly. He contacted the helicopter and verified that it was gassed and ready to go. It would take them a maximum of five minutes, but they could probably do it in three.

Maxwell came over to him. "The Air Force car has been sighted. Be ready."

Terrance felt his blood quicken. This was it. Another one of those parasites was in reach. He had learned a lot from the experiments on the first one; this time he wouldn't make the same mistakes. For one, he won't let the people in Phoenix have so many cells. That practice has seriously jeopardized his own work.

He clicked his radio on the open channel and listened in to Maxwell giving his men orders. The car was driving down the country road.

"I see Turner, doctor, but there's no sign of the old man," Maxwell told him over the radio.

Terrance wanted to smash his phone on the ground he was so frustrated. "Have them stop the car and shove Turner out. If they refuse start shooting at the car," he ordered. "But bring Turner to me, even if he's dead."

Slipping back into the clinic he went into the room with the sleeping Dr. MacMillan. He called the chopper and told it to come now. He'd kill the women and take Turner. It was the best he could do.

"Showtime," Jack whispered to Stahlman as they saw the roadblock ahead. He bent down and whispered into the mic, "You got our location?" he asked the Marines who were monitoring their position.

"Affirmative. Ahead and to the right is a driveway. The cars in front of you originated from a building three hundred feet up the driveway."

"Get ready to secure the building." Jack instructed, then the ringing of his phone captured his attention.

"Where's General Carter?" a frantic voice ranted into his ear.

"The General insisted on his own car," Jack told him calmly. "He should be coming up right behind me."

"You're lying. We've been following your progress since you left your mountain and your car was the only one that left."

"But--"

"And don't try my patience by telling me the general wasn't in the mountain. I know he was."

"Damn," Jack whispered.

"Toss Turner out of your car now and I'll consider letting you live. If not, I'll shove Dr. Fraiser out the door and put a bullet in the back of her head. Do I make myself clear?"

Jack could hear the thread of panic in the man's tone. He hated having to rush in, and hoped they could contain the mad man long enough to secure Dr. Fraiser and the other woman. "Can we run through the road block? It's only two cars?" Jack asked.

The driver smiled. "I'm game if you are."

"Then let's go, Captain."

The driver hit the gas and the Air Force vehicle, with its bulletproof glass, plowed into the front ends of the two cars, pushed them aside, and continued down the road. The men from the cars began shooting immediately. Jack could feel his car shudder each time a bullet embedded into its frame.

They turned right into the driveway and barreled down the asphalt road to a small parking lot. A sign that read doctor's office and some more writing was at the front window. Several vans were parked, one which Jack recognized from the attempt on Jacob at Carter's house. Jack couldn't see anyone so he cautiously opened his door.

"Sir, we're in position," the marines called out from his radio.

"Sir, I hear a chopper," his driver told him.

"Damn." Jack could hear it to. Must be how the other man expected to get away. "Go!" he ordered, and then all hell broke loose.

SGC infirmary

Paul was finding it hard to stay in the room although he didn't have the strength to leave it. What was going on? Was Sydney all right?

The door opened and Jacob Carter came in. An irritated looking nurse helped him into his bed. "Stay in here," she demanded of him.

Paul stared at Jacob. According to V'tel, Jacob had a parasite inside him that had both cured him and had become a part of him. "Tell me about Selmak?" Paul asked.

Jacob turned surprised eyes on him then spoke in a very strange voice. "I can answer any of your questions myself. I do not need Jacob to speak for me."

"You--uh, are,"

"Yes, I am Selmak. I am the Tok'ra that shares Jacob's body."

"And you cured him?"

"Yes. I also take great care of his body, keeping it free of diseases and although I do my best to keep it in one piece, Jacob has a habit of getting himself injured."

"You can heal him of cuts and bruises?"

"Those are easy. It is the gun-shots and staff-blasts that are difficult. I am faster than his own repair mechanisms, but I do not work miracles and sometimes it seems that is what he needs."

Jacob's head bowed and his eyes closed for a second before he looked up again. "Sorry about that, Dr. Turner. I wanted to prepare you first, but Selmak felt it wasn't necessary."

"Prepare me?" Paul asked dumbly.

"The symbiote lives within me, but each of us has a voice. Sometimes I talk and sometimes she does."

"Do you talk to each other?"

Jacob smiled widely. "Oh yes. Constantly. Remember I told you about the little voice in my head that's always telling me what to do? Well that's Selmak."

"Do you like it?"

"It takes some getting used to, but now, I can't imagine life without her." Jacob's eyes went vacant for a second, then he added, "Selmak isn't really a she. Symbiotes don't have gender, but Selmak's previous host was female, so my mental image of her is as a her." His head bowed once more.

"Jacob is technically correct. I have had many hosts, some female and some male. Other tok'ra have a preference for one gender over another. Simek has never had a female host, and I believe Kutunin has never had a male. They are mates."

"How old is V'tel? He looks like he might be close to eighty," Paul asked, having noticed, but not sure how these beings aged. Did having a symbiote prolong life?

"V'tel is almost one hundred and sixty, whereas Simek is close to a thousand of your years. Kutunin is older than Simek, but the host, Selca, is only one hundred ten. But her body is not doing well. It was injured and is not healing. We are very worried about her."

Paul was stunned. There was a point to the story and he was beginning to see it. V'tel had questioned him about how much he was willing to do to stay alive. He wasn't volunteering himself or Simek, but his mate Kutunin to save him because her host was also dying. That's why it was so important that Paul understand about Selmak having had a female host and then a male host. He closed his eyes. This was something he wasn't sure he could deal with.

"Are you all right?" Jacob asked.

"Just tired," he responded wearily.

Clinic in Mumford

Terrance was furious that his plan was falling apart. How the Air Force had been able to surround the clinic so fast astounded him. Then he heard his choppers as they approached. It was time for Dr. Fraiser to die, but he had decided to let Dr. MacMillan live. She might be needed to control Turner once he was in their custody.

"Get MacMillan and carry her to the chopper. I'll take care of the other one," Terrance told Maxwell.

He opened the door and saw Dr. Fraiser was pacing the room. "Ready for the switch?" she asked, dripping sarcasm.

How had she known this was turning sour? "No. It hasn't worked." He pulled out his gun. Just as he was about to pull the trigger a huge bulk flew into him. The shot went wild and he crashed to the floor with the bulk on top on him wrestling for the gun.

"Out of here, now, Doc" the bulk yelled, as Terrance got the upper hand and a left cross into the man's jaw.

The man fought like a maniac, and Terrance was beginning to lose again when suddenly the bulk slipped off.

One of his men was standing there, an empty syringe in his hand. "I got him, Dr. Shepard."

"MacMillan?"

"Maxwell's dead. MacMillan was taken by the Air Force soldiers. But we have him," and he pointed to the unconscious man on the floor, "the leader."

There was noise in the hall. More soldiers were coming down the hall. "Help me pick him up," Terrance ordered the other man, whose name he couldn't remember. Together they carried the bulk into the hall. "Stop or this man dies," Terrance shouted, shoving the snout of his gun into the man's ear.

It worked; the soldiers came to a complete halt. Slowly, Terrance and his helper backed up, carrying the bulk with them. First, down the hall, then out the back door to the waiting chopper. The bulk moved, causing Terrance's grip to loosen, and the captive to sway to one side.

A large black man with a gold emblem on his head stepped out from behind the other soldiers. He held a toy in his hand. "I am sorry, O'Neill," the man said, as a beam of something left the toy and enveloped Terrance. All his nerves came alive with pain. Uncoordinated, he dropped the man he was carrying and slumped to his knees. His nerves were on fire, but his mind was still hanging onto consciousness. He would not lose, Terrance told himself. Gripping his gun tightly in his right hand, he began to aim it at the body when another beam hit him. Unable to fight against the second shot, Terrance fell the rest of the way to the ground, his gun falling from his grip.

IX

SGC infirmary

Jack woke up to see Dr. Fraiser bending over him, flashing her penlight into his eyes. "Do you have to do that?" he asked irritably.

"Yes. I do. You've been unconscious for six hours."

As memory returned, his scowl changed into a smile. "Great to have you back, Doc."

Her face relaxed into an answering smile. "It's good to be back. Thanks for the heroic rescue."

"Any time. What did they shoot me up with?"

"Just a tranq. Nothing terribly harmful."

"And the one who nabbed you?"

"Zatted by Teal'c. Dead. Just in the nick of time too."

"Did we get any of his hench men?"

"Some, but they seemed to be hired guns, no one in the know, at least that's what Sam told me."

Jack eased back. The threat was over, at least for now. He had no doubt that the group who had engineered the whole experiment with Turner was still alive and functional. That reminded him. "What's going on with Dr. Turner?"

"I took the sample of the serum and have been running tests. It's definitely goa'uld based, but there's several factors which are recombinant and I'm still having difficulties figuring out exactly what they are."

"Can you keep making it?"

"Yes, but I don't think it's going to work for very long. His body has developed an immunity against the serum so that's why it isn't working as well as it had when he first began taking it."

"How is he doing now?"

"Not well at all."

Sydney sat on the corner of Paul's bed, running her palm across his forehead. He was so weak. Had she done the right thing by giving the serum to Dr. Fraiser? Was Paul going to die? An involuntary sob escaped.

"Sydney?" Paul murmured.

"I'm here," she told him.

"They have a way to cure me, totally cure me, but there would be a cost."

"How high?" she asked, trying to quell her rising hope.

"I'd never be allowed to leave this place. I wouldn't be safe outside." His words were forced, breathless.

"A prisoner?" she asked breathlessly.

"In a way. I wouldn't be behind bars. I'm sure they'd let me work, but I'd never be able to go back home or work for Lynne. In fact they'll probably tell her I died."

"But you'd be alive?" she asked with hope.

"Yes. I don't know if they'd even let me see you again."

"But you'd be alive! I don't want you to die. Do it," she urged.

"Ask Dr. Fraiser to come in here?"

Sydney rose and left the room. There was a security guard outside the door. "Can you get Dr. Fraiser?" she asked.

A few minutes later, Dr. Fraiser entered. Sydney stood at the foot of the bed as the other doctor talked to Paul.

"Dr. Fraiser. Are you any closer to figuring out how the serum works?"

"Yes," she answered hesitantly, "But it won't work for much longer."

"I was afraid of that. For the last few months I've noticed that the time between doses has decreased."

"Your immune system is fighting against the stem cell precursors that they're giving you. I can manufacture more, save your life for the next week, maybe even a month, but the medicine is not a cure."

"I talked to V'tel and Jacob Carter and they offered me a way out. Do you know about it?"

"I am aware of how Selmak helped Jacob Carter. It's not a procedure to be taken lightly," Dr. Fraiser said, looking worryingly at Sidney.

"I know."

Sydney exchanged a look with Paul. As long as he was alive, the possibilities were endless. They would find a way to be together. She saw the doctor fidgeting, as if nervous.

"It's a one way trip--no going back," Dr. Fraiser warned.

"I know," Paul repeated.

"Tell me what this cure entails," Sydney asked. "Why can't he leave the Mountain if he does this?"

Dr, Fraiser took several breaths. "Dr. MacMillan. I can't tell you. It's classified."

Suddenly an older man entered the room; someone Sydney hadn't met before.

"V'tel, you shouldn't be here," Dr. Fraiser intervened.

The man, V'tel, looked at Sydney. "You are Dr. Turner's mate? Sydney?"

Sydney felt her face color. What an odd man. "Yes," she answered hesitantly.

"You love him very much?"

"Oh, yes!" she replied revealing her deep feelings.

"The step he must take to rid himself of the disease affects you as well as him. You can also take that step so the two of you won't be separated." He turned to Paul. "Kutunin needs a healthy host. She will die without one very soon. You are too sick to cure her," he told Paul. "I can cure you and your mate can save Kutunin." He backed up to the door. "The choice is yours," he concluded.

"Wait!" Sydney called out before he could leave. "Explain this. You can cure Paul? Right now?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Dr. Fraiser interrupted. "V'tel this isn't--"

"I am Simek," the voice spoke, sounding funny. "I live within this body, this host, who's name is V'tel. If I blend with Dr. Turner, I can infiltrate his bone marrow and make it produce the needed blood cells. The blending may take some time, an hour maybe, but it is possible."

Sydney didn't know what to think. It sounded impossible, but the others seemed to think it was for real. "Paul?"

"You would blend with me?" he asked weakly.

"Yes, but it must be soon. You're strength is failing. As is Kutunin's. She needs a new host or she will die. The poison has damaged too much of the host and is beginning to infiltrate her small body. She has less time than you."

"Simek?" Paul whispered. "Come here."

V'tel walked from the door back to the bed.

"How does it work?"

"You open your mouth and I enter. It takes seconds."

"Do it! Then Sydney can decide for herself."

V'tel turned to Sydney. "I love Kutunin as you love this man. The four of us can accomplish great deeds. But you give up the most. As Tok'ra, they will not let you return to your old life on Earth. Jacob has made his home among us and is a valued member. You two will be also." He turned back to Paul. "Open!"

Sydney crept closer and saw a thin snake-like organism whip out of V'tel's mouth and into Paul's. A shudder of revulsion went down her back. Paul's eyes opened wide and he screamed. Then they closed and he writhed back and forth on the bed in seeming agony. Suddenly all movement ceased.

Dr. Fraiser ran to the phone and Sydney heard her call for General Carter to report to the infirmary. Was this general the man in charge? The one who was going to keep Paul a prisoner?

"Is he still in pain?" Sydney asked the doctor, worried.

"I don't think so. The blending is painful at first because the symbiote has to tunnel through skin and nerves to get to the brain stem. From there it sends out tiny cilia, infiltrating all the systems of the body. The two minds link so they can share thoughts and memories."

Another man walked quickly into the room. He stumbled as he saw V'tel on the ground, but his head shot upwards, his eyes piercing the doctor's. "Simek is blending with Paul?"

"He's trying," Dr. Fraiser answered. "This may take awhile. I think he's actually sicker than you were when Selmak attempted to heal you."

Sydney watched the exchange with detachment. Her thoughts were focused on Paul and they're future separation. Could she handle it? V'tel said she had a choice. Another one of those snake-like things could enter her. She would save it as the one in Paul was saving him. He didn't call it pay-back, but it was, in a reverse sort of manner.

"With Paul blended with Simek, I'll never see him again unless I blend with the other one, right?"

"The public is not aware of symbiotes or at least not the general public. How Dr. Shepard became aware, I don't know," Dr. Fraiser answered. "But this is a classified installation. You won't be allowed back in once you leave."

"Then I really have no choice. I have to blend with this other Tok'ra in order to stay with Paul. Take me to her."

Kutunin felt the weight of death upon her. She was weak from trying to cure her host, and seemed all her work was in vain. It was time to give up. Struggling to open her eyes, she wanted to look at Simek one more time, to say goodbye. Cautiously opening an eye, she saw Jacob Carter bending over her. Disappointment made her close it again.

"Kutunin, can you hear me? We have found a host for you," Selmak spoke insistently.

She reopened the eye, this time seeing a pretty woman with white-blond hair standing over her. Kutunin wanted to ask questions, she knew these questions were important, but her fatigue was too great.

"Dr. MacMillan. This is going to be difficult and probably very painful for you," General Carter told her earnestly. "Kutunin is close to death and the energy to make a rapid entry isn't there. Simek was healthy so he was able to enter Dr. Turner quickly, sparing him some of the pain."

"Do we need to dissect the symbiote out of the host?" Dr. Fraiser asked.

"No, she can do it."

Kutunin kept looking at the platinum-haired woman. Her eyes were fearful, but her determination was just as clear. Sydney. Her name was Sydney. Kutunin felt gentle hands grip her head, Selca's head, for she had already began disengaging herself. The pretty face came closer. It was good, the new host understood what was needed. Kutunin vowed that soon the fear would be replaced with trust as the two became better acquainted. Summoning all her strength, Kutunin left the decayed warmth of her host, already dead in everything but heartbeat, and leaped into the mouth of her future.

Pain! She could feel her host's pain, because she moved too slowly. Wanting to apologize, but couldn't until all the links were in place, she concentrated on forming those needed bonds. Soon, she rode on a wave of endorphins. Nutrients and repair cells fixed her shattered body. Now it was time. "Hello, Sydney. Thank you for saving my life. We have a lot of work to do, but first we will take time to get to know one another."

With a soft smile, Kutunin and Sydney slipped into a slumber where they exchanged life stories.

X

"They what?!" Colonel O'Neill stormed, when he found out about the blendings.

Selmak sat back and watched his host handle the irate Tau'ri. General Hammond had not been as volatile, but he was non-the-less upset. Yet this is what Daniel Jackson had promised when they had first formed their alliance. Earth was a source of hosts. Each has saved the other. Simek has saved Paul Turner and Kutunin saved by Sydney MacMillan. Equality in every way.

O'Neill's problem was that he could not understand that the Tok'ra were truly different from the Goa'uld. Once a snake always a snake, was how Jacob described O'Neill's feelings.

"Does this mean that Drs. Turner and MacMillan are going to ride off into the sunset with all you other Tok'ra to fight the good fight?"

"Why Jack, are you inviting them to stay here?"

"I don't know. It's not my decision. What does General Hammond say?"

"Nothing as of yet. It's not finished. Shepard worked for someone. That organization supplied him with a symbiote. They have to be stopped."

Selmak agreed. But it was the Earth humans' job to see to that. They needed to introduce the two new hosts to the other Tok'ra and return to X'ellin. They still had a mission to complete. Kutunin and Simek would not need reminding.

"But first we need to say goodbye to Lynne," Jacob thought silently.

Armed with a pass from George, he got into the official car and was driven over to the Academy and to the base hospital.

Lynne was sitting up in bed, looking irritable. A large bandgage was wrapped around her head, but her eyes looked clear.

"Hi Lynne," Jacob called as he entered her room.

"Jake, am I glad to see you. How's Paul? No one will tell me anything."

"You have to tell her what Hammond requested," Selmak encouraged silently.

"I hate this, " Jacob returned. "Dr. Turner is dead."

Her eyes grew round with shock and tears pooled. "Tell me everything."

"We brought him back to the base infirmary in Cheyenne Mountain. They have some top secret stuff they're working on, it's how I was cured. The doctor there was sure she could do the same for Paul, but it was too late. His disease and the injury he had sustained combined to make the cure impossible. Then," Jacob's voice cracked. He didn't have to fake it. "Sydney MacMillan showed up with a strange tale. It seems a rogue group of the government has been supplying Paul with a medicine that has kept the disease at bay. It just wasn't working anymore. They wanted Paul back to do more experiments. We wouldn't hand him over so they kidnapped Sydney and our doctor, wanting an exchange. Paul was already dead by this time, although they wouldn't believe us. We went to the exchange, and when they saw we didn't have Paul, they killed Sydney. Dr. Fraiser was seriously wounded."

The tears ran unchecked down her face. "He only came to Colorado to help me find you. To get the truth about you. Now he's dead."

"It's not your fault, Lynne. It's not anyone's fault. He was a good man and he got the rotten end of the stick." He gathered her up in his arms.

"God this is hard," he cried silently.

"Take comfort in that they are not really dead," Selmak consoled.

"I had to talk to everyone to get him hired after he went into remission," Lynne spook her grief. "He had such a natural gift for seeing things that weren't obvious." She bent her head to look up at him. "Isn't it ironic that I hired him to find and expose misuses of science, and he was a victim of a misuse and could do nothing about it. I think I understand why he wanted to come with me so bad."

"He believed I was a part of the same experiment. Paul hoped that between the two of us we could stop them from using people for their own ends."

"Is there going to be a funeral?"

"Yes. General Hammond is going to have Paul and Sydney buried side by side in a cemetery here in Colorado. They didn't have any family except for each other, and you were Paul's best friend."

"So Selca and V'tel's body will remain on Earth, how extraordinary," Selmak murmured.

"Will I be able to go? Will they release me?"

"Yes. I'll see to it."

Epilogue- Bethesda Maryland

Dr. Shira Hosokawa entered the office of Adrian Conrad. It was up to her to inform the man that the subject, Paul Turner was dead. Dr. MacMillan had disappeared, the Air Force had come in and removed all personal belongings from the apartment the two had shared. Major Reece had been given the run around and had returned to work pretending nothing had happened. Yet, Dr. Turner was no longer on the payroll. It was a very tidy clean-up job.

Diana Mendez was sitting at the desk. "He's expecting you."

Shira walked in, her hands shaking.

"Dr. Hosokawa. Thank you for seeing me. I have been informed that Shepard made a disaster of the Denver operation."

"He is dead," she affirmed.

"I should never have left him in control."

Shira whole-heartedly agreed, but not for the same reason.

"News on my patient?"

She cleared her throat. "He is also dead. There was no serum to give him. The Air Force gave him a nondescript funeral, with a closed casket, because of the condition of his body. But his next of kin were notified and he has been declared legally dead. I did some checking to see if the Air Force initiated any new documents in another name, just in case they decided to give him a new identity, but they have not."

"Good thinking, doctor. His demise, while a step backwards for the project, was not wholly unsuspected. I have a new plan. It's a little more desperate, may get the job done quicker. I am beginning my preparations."

"What will you have me do?"

"I want you to travel to Oregon. I'm opening a new facility there. You will be working with Drs. Richard Flemming and Peter Stouffer on a cloning scheme I have come up with. You will work directly with them."

"Will I have patient contact?"

"Not yet. Maybe in the future. As for now, it will be limited to bench work. Is that agreeable with you?"

Shira smiled in relief. Nothing could be worse than what she had just been involved with. "Yes," she agreed.

He gave her a sickly smile and handed her a pair of plane tickets.

Adrian sat back in his mobile chair and watched her leave. She was a good employee. Always did her job and asked no questions. Wish he had more like her.

"Are you okay, honey?" Diana asked, walking unannounced into his office. Worry etched on her features.

"I'm tired. This whole experiment with Turner has been a failure from start to finish. The sooner we get over it the better." He coughed.

"But you have another, better plan?"

"Another plan, yes. Safer, hell no. I'm dying. Every drug we've tested has been a bust."

"So drugs are not the answer?"

"No," he answered resigned. "I'm going to have to let the parasite inside me."

"What?!" she shrieked.

"It's the only way."

"But Frank said it will take over your mind as well as heal your body."

"I know, but I think I can figure a way to get it out again."

She looked skeptical.

Frank told me that Major Samantha Carter had one of these things inside her and now it isn't. There must be a way, since she's still around, to get it out again. I plan to find out how she did it."

"You're going to just call her up and ask?"

He smiled. "I don't think she'd come. No, I plan on bringing her here with force. If she can't or won't tell us, then we'll do some experiments on her to see for ourselves. My doctors are on standby."

"You're not going to let that thing in you until you get your answer from her, right?"

"Of course not," he assured her, although he wasn't sure if he was telling the truth. If it came down to it, he might be willing to take the chance that they'd get their answer afterward the implantation.

She looked appeased. With a gentle caress on his shoulder, she returned to her desk.

Resting his head on folded arms, he sighed. It was so draining putting up a healthy front. But he wasn't a quitter. No. He would fight this disease till the bitter end.

Paul Turner was still getting used to his new body. No, that was Simek thinking, although it really did relate to him, too. He was healthy, vital, and could now run forever, and make love all night. He noticed that Sydney wasn't complaining either. It was like being a walking commercial for Viagra. Good thing there weren't any mirrors in the Tok'ra tunnels, cause the grin on his face would probably embarrass him if he had to actually look at it.

He had been slowly learning all the other's names. But it was difficult, because for each person there were two names, the host and the symbiote.

"Do not worry, I will remind you if you forget a name. Believe me, they are very glad you were willing to blend. The Tok'ra believe the Tau'ri do not have a good opinion of us," Simek told him.

"Simek. Paul. Garshaw would like to see you in the council chambers." The man's name was Delek.

"What is it with all the symbiote names ending with 'e' 'k' or 'a' 'k'? Paul asked Simek.

"Spawnings," he replied. "Delek and I came from the same spawning. Not many true brothers remain, but this is one thing I share with him."

"We are on our way," Simek replied aloud.

Paul was contented to let Simek take the lead when dealing with his fellow Tok'ra. Paul didn't have the confidence to let his own opinions known."

"Yet," Simek acknowledged within their mind. "Soon, you will have that confidence. You do not know enough. With education comes opinions."

Paul had to agree. If they asked him a question about human medicine, he'd be sure to answer.

They came to the council chambers. Sydney was already there with Jacob Carter. Jacob had become a good friend to both he and Sydney since they had blended with their perspective symbiotes. Paul suspected Sydney was a having a good time with hers. They always seemed to have an internal dialogue going. Most of the time Simek could tell what they were discussing. This time however, both hosts wore serious expressions.

"Please by seated," Garshaw commanded.

"That is Malek, another of our spawn mates. You will like him, because he is a scientist, specializing in medicine. His host was also a scientist, but more in technology, rather then physiology."

Paul smiled at Malek, who smiled back. Seemed like a friendly fellow, unlike Delek, who wore no expression at all.

"Selmak," Garshaw began. "Your mission to X'ellin was never completed, yet you tell me now that it may still be fruitful to return. Did you find something?"

"We were interrupted by the appearance of Jaffa. But before, we discovered the ancient Tok'ra symbol on one of the walls. We were unable to decrypt the message because of the danger. I request permission to return. It may yet be true that two stasis jars are hidden there."

"Simek. Kutunin. Do you agree?"

"We do, Garshaw," Simek replied. "I am confident that the jars are there."

"Are your new hosts ready for such a dangerous mission? Do they understand that it was your previous foray onto that planet that resulted in V'tel's and Selca's deaths?"

Paul felt Simek urging him to speak. "We understand. We will rely on our symbiotes to tell us what to do," Paul told her, hoping to ease Garshaw's mind and raise her confidence in them.

Delek smiled encouragingly. Paul didn't trust that smile, although he couldn't pinpoint why.

"Then you have the council's agreement. You may leave as soon as preparations are complete." She turned to the others seated at the table and talked over other pertinent business. Malek was ordered to find another base, in case this one became compromised. Kanan and Thoran were assigned to Baal. They were told to infiltrate his base and report the situation. Paul only half-listened, because already Simek was making plans and it was hard to concentrate on both things at once.

Paul glanced over at Sydney and they shared a smile. They were both alive and doing their part to save Earth, on a much grander scale than either could have imagined.

"Do you still think you made the right choice?" Simek took a break from his planning to ask.

"Definitely." Paul replied with total conviction.

The End